Golf:Lee Slattery, chasing the first European Tour victory of his career, will take a two-shot lead into Sunday's Madrid Masters final round and world number one Luke Donald has a huge task to catch his fellow Englishman.
Slattery, lying 136th on the Race to Dubai money list and desperate for a good week to secure a tour card next season, led for a second successive day after carding a three-under-par 69 on Saturday.
That took him to 14-under 202, two better than Italian rookie Lorenzo Gagli (69) and triple tour winner Brett Rumford of Australia (68).
Donald was six shots off the lead after another miserable finish at the El Encin course, bogeying three of the last five holes for a 70.
The Englishman followed the same watery route as day one with his approach at the par-five final hole, sending his ball into the lake.
However, it is putting frailties this week that have put Race to Dubai leader on the back foot in his attempt to win and put some extra distance between him and his rivals.
A missed four-footer on 13 cost him a birdie and he sent a three-footer past the cup on 14 to bogey. A poor chip added another shot on 16.
“I've not played 18 very well all week,” Donald said. “I’m three-over there and that’s losing five shots to the field. I've also missed a bunch of putts, from six or seven feet, inside five feet. I've struggled with the reads and the pace.”
Donald refused to rule himself out of contention though.
“I'll need to go really low tomorrow, 64 or 65, which can be done on this course,” he said. “But I'm going to need some help from the field.”
Slattery has two second places to his name on the European Tour and two wins on the second-tier Challenge Tour. The 33-year-old has also found 2011 a struggle until this week.
“It’s been tough this year so there’s obviously a little bit of pressure on me tomorrow,” he said. “Somehow I've got to be able to relax. It’s going to be all about switching off tonight and not worrying about it."
Paul McGinley was the best of the Irish after a second straight round of two-under-par 70 left him on four under going into the final round. Damien McGrane (72) and Gareth Maybin (73) are both on two under.
