Ignacio Garrido three-putted the final green to ensure he will take only a three-shot lead into the final round of the Spanish Open.
Spaniard could come to rue three-putt on final green
A level-par 72 has ensured Ignacio Garrido will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Spanish Open in Seville.
Garrido, who remains on -15, was unable to reproduce the sparkling form that had seen him pull clear of the field after rounds of 66 and 63, but battled hard on Saturday and looked set to post a 71 which would have maintained the four-shot advantage he started the day with.
However, the former Ryder Cup player missed from inside three feet on the 18th for a disheartening bogey that will give his pursuers hope.
His leading challenger is another Spaniard, Miguel Angel Jimenez, who returned an excellent 67 to climb up -12 and secure his place in the final pairing.
A group of three have congregated a shot behind Jimenez comprising Englishman Mark Foster (68), Paraguayan Marco Ruiz (69) and Soren Hansen of Denmark (67).
A further five players (Martin Erlandsson, Peter Fowler, Peter Lawrie, Andrew McLardy and Carlos Rodiles) stand on -10, while English amateur Danny Willett produced the round of the day with a 64 to move to within six of the lead on -9.
Darren Clarke also enjoyed a productive day as he shot a 67 but, seven shots off the pace, the Ulsterman seems too far back to challenge for a second consecutive Tour win.
Despite his late lapse, Garrido remains the man to beat but the 36-year-old Spaniard shows signs of frailty during a third round that contained two birdies and two bogeys.
His outward nine was a solid affair with eight pars complemented by a birdie at the par-five fifth, but he began to struggle on the back nine and was indebted to some solid putting and scrambling.
However, his first dropped shot of the day arrived on 13 where a wayward slice from the tee ensured he could do no better than a six - and it could have been worse had he not holed out from seven feet.
Garrido calmed his nerves with a birdie at the par-five 16th but blotted his copybook with his three-putt on the final green and still has plenty of work to do if he is to claim a third European Tour title and emulate his father Antonio who won the event in 1972.
Colin Montgomerie endured another disappointing day with a 74 dropping him back to +1 and only joint 66th of the 75 who survived the cut.
