Hewson and Hedwall keep pace with the men in Sweden

Alice Hewson birdied three of her last four holes to join a four-way tie for the lead after three rounds of the Scandinavia Mixed tournament in Gothenburg on Saturday.

Hewson shot a three-under-par 69 to join overnight leader Caroline Hedwall, who shot a 73, and two men, Rhys Enoch and Jason Scrivener, who benefited from starting early before the wind got up and both shot 66s.

In an event sanctioned by both the European men's and women's tours, the groups are mixed, but the women play from their own tees. 

Victory for a woman would be a first on the European men's tour.

"I think tomorrow I will probably be a bit nervous especially on the first tee," said Englishwoman Hewson. 

Swede Hedwall started the day alone in the lead but bogeyed the first two holes. She got her round under par with five birdies and two more bogeys before a double bogey on the 17th cost her the outright lead.

"I didn't feel any pressure," she told the tournament web site. "I had a bad start but fought back.

"I'm quite happy, 73 is not a bad score in these conditions, but with the finish that I had I'm not that happy right now."

Hewson had three bogeys in four holes as she made the turn at one over, but was four under on the back nine.

"It was a lot of fun out there!" she said. "It was really, really tough, it has been windy all day and I got off to a bit of a slow start.

Both Australian Scrivener and Welshman Enoch are chasing a first European tour title. 

"I love the golf course and I'm starting to get a handle on it, so another good opportunity to win a golf tournament,"  said Scrivener. 

"It has been really cool to compete against the girls and hopefully the guys can come out on top."

The four leaders are one shot ahead of five men: English pair Ashley Chesters and James Morrison, Scot David Drysdale, Australian Scott Hend and Spaniard Adrian Otaegui. 

There was then a two-shot gap to four players tied at nine under including Finnish woman Sanna Nuutinen