Spaniard Eduardo de la Riva maintained the pace in the Andalucian Open to take a one-shot lead into the final round.
Overnight leader takes one-shot lead into final round
Overnight leader Eduardo de la Riva maintained the pace in the Andalucian Open to take a one-shot lead into the final round at Aloha Golf Club.
The Spaniard, ranked 610th in the world, carded six birdies and two bogeys in a third round of 68 as he seeks a remarkable victory.
The 29-year-old does not even have a European Tour card and has only once come through the qualifying school in nine attempts.
But he can draw confidence from finishing third at the Madrid Masters last October and has golf in his blood - his father was Spanish amateur champion seven times and his mother won the Spanish junior title on three occasions.
The Spaniard has promised to push hard to claim victory.
"I do know that if I win it will change the year I have been planning," he said.
Towel
"I've come here to try and win and I won't throw the towel in before the tournament finishes. I will try to be as relaxed as I have been the other days."
De la Riva will earn a one-year European Tour exemption should he succeed, but 18 players lie within four strokes of his lead.
Right on his tail at 11 under are England's former BMW PGA Championship winner Simon Khan and Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, who carded rounds of 66 and 68 respectively.
Manassero kept alive hopes of qualifying for next month's Masters with a round that included five birdies, but the 18-year-old let slip a share of the lead with a 16th-hole bogey.
He said: "Despite the three putts for bogey on 16 I am still right in this event and right where I wanted to be.
More solid
"I played really well and, funny, my round of 68 was ever better than my 64 on Thursday as my game was a lot more solid from tee to green.
"So it was an easy 68 and it has also kept me in position to qualify for Augusta which is very important for me."
England's David Lynn and South African Hennie Otto are another stroke back on 10 under, as is local favourite and tournament promoter Miguel Angel Jimenez, who has helped to keep the event afloat by dipping into his own pocket.
The 48-year-old is trying to become the oldest winner in European Tour history on the course where he is an honorary member and added a 69 on Saturday to previous rounds of 69 and 68.
Jimenez commenced his round at 7 under and just one stroke off the lead, but dropped two strokes with two bogeys in his opening six holes.
He regrouped superbly with a 10th-hole birdie and a run of birdie, birdie, eagle from the 14th in his score of 69.
"I started out like a donkey but finished like a racehorse," he joked.
