The Aussies, frustrated by a continuing series of putting near misses, will start the final round fourball 10 shots behind leaders Denmark and will need to post a number in the low 60s to be any chance of hoisting the massive trophy.

Leishman and Scott opened their third round foursomes with three pars before a bogey at the short par-4 4th hole put them back on their heels and they dropped to third last on the leaderboard in the 28-team event. But they bounced back with a birdie at the 6th when Leishman holed a curling 25-footer.

He could have added another at the 9th when left with a 15-footer but the boy from Warrnambool burned the edge of the cup.

Leishman capitalised on a good drive from Scott on the 10th, hitting a short iron into four feet and Scott cleaned it up for the duo’s second birdie of the day.

Marc Leishman checks the lie of a shot during the third round. PHOTO: Scott Barbour/Getty Images.

They would have been hoping that birdie could spark a run but it just didn’t eventuate. A lone birdie on the par-5 14th was book-ended by pars and they head into the final round fourball 10 shots behind the dominating Danes.

Scott has looked frustrated with his ball-striking at times, especially his wedge play.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to look frustrated. Just yeah, there's nothing going. It's a grind. It's not easy,” Scott said.

“You know, if you're not 100 percent on, then on foursomes days you can make an ass of yourself out there and shoot 80, no problem. I'm just out there working hard, trying to get it in the fairway and in play so Marc can have a shot." – Adam Scott.

“I think we're just both a little disappointed nothing's going for us out there. I mean, the support's been great but the couple chances we've had, we haven't taken them and it's just a grind. I think every team will probably feel that way who's not right up there making tons of birdies.”

Leishman and Scott will have to make a “ton of birdies” of their own to finish anywhere near the lead, so they will be ramping up the aggression on the final day.

“I mean, you can only be so aggressive here or you'll hit it in the ti-tree if you're off,” Scott said. “There's a lot more freedom to play tomorrow, so if we can play well and get balls in play, there's a much better chance in going at pins.

“But in saying that, the greens have firmed up slightly, too, so it's going to be a little tougher to do that.”

Scott says he and Leishman will have to make plenty of birdies in the final round to make an impression on the leaderboard. PHOTO: Scott Barbour/Getty Images.

Leishman added: “Coming here we both wanted to be up there on Sunday afternoon and it doesn't look like it's going to happen. But, having said that, we can hopefully have a super low one and get things going.

“In fourball, like Denmark showed that you can shoot 12 under.

“We may have left it too late, but we'll never give up.

“There's still a bit at stake. We'll play well and it's more fun making birdies, so even if we don't have a chance to win, we still want to make lots of birdies and have fun.”