MADRID, October 8, 2011 (AFP) - England's Lee Slattery, who is battling to keep his tour card, fought off a latin challenge on Saturday to hold a two-shot lead going into the final round of the Madrid Masters.
The 33-year-old was passed by home favourite Eduardo De La Riva and Italians Francesco Molinari and Lorenzo Gagli on the front nine, but held on for a bogey-free 69 in round three at the El Encin Golf Hotel.
That took him to 14-under and two strokes clear of Australia's Brett Rumford, who hit a four-under 68 and Gagli, who finished his round in 69.
"I just played really steady. I didn't make too many mistakes," Slattery, who could secure himself a European Tour berth for next season with a victory here, told europeantour.com.
"I probably could have holed a few more putts, I left a few out there. At the turn I just felt a little bit more relaxed and played really nicely coming in."
Ryder Cup star Francesco Molinari, Swede Oscar Floren and Argentine veteran Cesar Monasterio sit a shot further back.
De La Riva, 29, led after the front nine, having followed two opening birdies with a holed approach from 188 yards at the ninth for eagle.
But in only his second European Tour start of the season the Spaniard took 39 on the way in en route to a 72 that left him seventh on ten under par.
Slattery turned in 35 after his third birdy of the week and holed from 20 feet on the 13th and another birdie two holes later completed his scoring.
Gagli got off to a blistering start, with three birdies and an eagle at the fourth in his first six holes before bogeys and only two further birdies saw him signed for a 69.
Rumford had only one dropped shot in his 68, with five birdies highlighted by an approach to four feet at the seventh.
"It was a good day - I was playing great from tee to green," said the Australian.
"I just wasn't quite reading the lines properly and my pace was a little bit out.
"It's nice to be able to get back to doing what I need to do to play well."
Defending champion and world number one Luke Donald holed out from a bunker on the fifth, but a two-under 70 left the Englishman tied for tenth on eight-under.
Leading and selected Madrid Masters third round scores at the El Encin Golf Hotel on Saturday (GBR and IRL unless stated, par 72):
202 - Lee Slattery 67-66-69
204 - Brett Rumford (AUS) 65-71-68, Lorenzo Gagli (ITA) 65-70-69
205 - Francesco Molinari (ITA) 67-67-71, Oscar Floren (SWE) 69-69-67, Cesar Monasterio (ARG) 68-70-67
206 - Eduardo De La Riva (ESP) 67-67-72
207 - Thomas Aiken (RSA) 71-69-67, Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 67-72-68
208 - Luke Donald 68-70-70, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (ESP) 65-75-68, Benjamin Hebert (FRA) 69-72-67
209 - Richard McEvoy 69-71-69, Tano Goya (ARG) 67-70-72, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 66-73-70
210 - Tim Sluiter (NED) 71-70-69, Carlos Rodiles (ESP) 70-68-72, Bradley Dredge 67-73-70, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 70-71-69
211 - Mark Tullo (CHI) 68-73-70, Oliver Wilson 68-69-74, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 70-72-69, Jason Knutzon (USA) 70-68-73, Peter Hanson (SWE) 67-72-72, Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 73-69-69, Pedro Oriol (ESP) 71-71-69, Ross McGowan 64-72-75
212 - Robert Jan Derksen (NED) 70-73-69, John Parry 69-73-70, Ross Fisher 72-70-70, Mikko Korhonen (FIN) 71-68-73, Jaco Van Zyl (RSA) 70-71-71, Florian Fritsch (GER) 71-72-69, Anthony Kang (USA) 69-73-70, Thomas Norret (DEN) 68-72-72, Marc Warren 72-68-72, Paul McGinley 72-70-70
Selected:
213 - George Coetzee (RSA) 73-70-70, Graeme Storm 67-72-74, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 71-71-71
217 - Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 75-68-74, Paul Lawrie 72-71-74