Australia’s Jason Day has taken the individual lead with a superb third round in golf’s World Cup to put his nation in the box seat to claim team honours.

Day shot a five-under-par 66 – the equal best round on a day when many golfers struggled at Royal Melbourne – to climb to nine under overall.

That put him a shot clear of Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn, who could manage only a 71 and ended Saturday’s round on eight under.  

Day’s teammate Adam Scott earlier shot a 68 to climb to two under, seven shots off the lead.

The Australians’ combined 11-under total put them on top in the teams competition, one clear of the United States.

Australia had started the day seven shots adrift of the US.

But American Kevin Streelman, who started the third round in second spot on seven under, had a double-bogey, four bogeys and three birdies to shoot 74 and fall to four under.

Fellow American Matt Kuchar shot 68 to reach six under par and climb to third place.

Italian Francesco Molinari was fourth, on five under, after matching Day’s 66.