World number three Adam Scott charged within striking distance of the lead early in the third round of the Players Championship on Saturday.

Scott made a barnstorming start with four birdies in the first six holes at Sawgrass to improve to two-under par, four strokes behind halfway leader Kenny Perry.

The Australian, champion in 2004, has jumped from 10th to third in the world rankings in the past two weeks after winning the Byron Nelson Championship and finishing eighth in the Wachovia Championship last week.

But he struggled with his putter in the first two rounds here, missing nearly half of his putts in the three-to-seven-foot range.

He said he was struggling with the pace of the greens and was "not overconfident" but obviously found something overnight, judging by the way he started on Saturday.

A 10-foot birdie at the first was followed by a tap-in birdie at the par-five second, before making two more nice putts for further birdies at the fourth and sixth.

Luke Donald, the only British player out early, was not having a bad day, but nor was he doing enough to move into contention. Donald, who made the cut without a stroke to spare, compiled three birdies and two bogeys in 12 holes to improve slightly to two over.

German Bernhard Langer and Spaniard Sergio Garcia both started the day one stroke behind Perry. They are at opposite end of their careers, 50-year-old Langer mainly playing the senior tour, while Garcia, at 28, still has his best golf ahead, at least he hopes so.

Langer had an informal chat earlier this week with Nick Faldo, this year's European Ryder Cup captain. The last time the competition was held in the United States, four years ago, Langer captained a magnificent European side to a record victory at Oakland Hills.

"We did talk a few things about the Ryder Cup," said Langer. "We just talked about two or three things and were pretty much in agreement I think."

Langer laughed off suggestions he might contend for a captain's pick for this year's event, but at the same time did not totally rule it out.

"If I should play really well the rest of the year and he thinks I might be of any benefit to him, I would be happy to maybe take a spot, but I doubt I'm even on his radar screen," he added.