With 20th-placed Darren Clarke not playing this week and the man above him, Open championship runner-up Thomas Levet, missing the cut in Cologne, Faldo knows he needs just over £16,000 (€25,000) to move into the top 20.

That equates to 30th place at Gut Larchenhof, and the six-time major winner found himself in a tie for 46th after a third round 69 today.

Rounds of 71 and 70 meant the former world number one made the cut by one stroke at three under par, nine shots behind halfway leader and Ryder Cup vice-captain Ian Woosnam.

The 45-year-old made the perfect start on a misty morning with a birdie on the first, and picked up further shots at the third and fifth to be out in 33.

With the par five 13th playing downwind, Faldo was easily able to reach in two with a long iron, and safely two-putted from the back edge of the green for his fourth birdie of the day.

A poor chip on the par five 15th prevented him from repeating the trick two holes later, and he did well to save par after missing the green on the par three 16th.

He could not avoid a bogey on the 17th however, and after a par at the last is in need of a good closing round and could still also have to rely on the results of others who could overtake him.

Worthing’s Gary Evans is in 23rd place on the money list some £25,000 (€40,000) behind Faldo, and is just four off the lead at 11 under after eight holes of his third round.

And Welshman Bradley Dredge is one place and £10,000 (€16,000) further back in the standings and is currently eight under for the tournament after 12 holes of his third round.

Meanwhile Woosnam had lost his overnight lead despite picking up two birdies in three holes as the chasing pack played some sensational golf.

The Welshman’s one-shot lead was wiped out on the first hole as Stephen Leaney carded a birdie three, the Australian then matching playing partner Woosnam’s birdies on the next two holes for good measure.

Leaney also birdied the fifth to briefly move into the lead at 15 under before being joined at the top of the leaderboard by somebody making an even better start.

Surrey’s Paul Casey began the day three off the lead but birdied six of his first seven holes, only surprisingly missing out on the par five third.

The Ryder Cup three-ball of Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and Thomas Bjorn had yet to spark into life, however.

Montgomerie was two under for the day and nine under for the tournament after 11 holes, while Westwood and Bjorn were one under for the day.