Gonzalez in sight of maiden win

Four players without a single European Tour title between them lead the way with a day to go in the Omega European Masters in…

Four players without a single European Tour title between them lead the way with a day to go in the Omega European Masters in Switzerland - after all scored third rounds of 68. Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez, biggest hitter on the circuit this season, stands on the 13 under par mark of 200 in his bid to follow compatriot Eduardo Romero as winner of the event.

New Zealander Stephen Scahill is two behind and in joint third place are Mansfield's Greg Owen and Soren Hansen, left to fly the Danish flag after the injury to Ryder Cup star Thomas Bjorn.

Scotland's Gary Orr, joint second overnight, twice took over the lead, but three bogeys in five holes from the 12th dropped him four shots behind in fifth place. Former Ryder Cup player David Gilford, alongside Orr at halfway, fared even worse, three-putting the last for a 72 that left him tied for seventh with 48-year-old American Craig Stadler.

Gonzalez's best finish on the tour was runner-up in last year's South African Open, but the 31-year-old has already had five top 10 finishes this season and is 39th on the Order of Merit with over £233,000.

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He led after both the first and second rounds and responded to Orr's charge with a superb eagle at the 519-yard 15th, where he holed from 15feet.

Scahill was runner-up in the Madeira Island Open in 1998, but has been back to the tour qualifying school twice since then and is currently 103rd on the money list.

The Irish contenders, Gary Murphy, David Higgins and Philip Walton are well off the pace on three under, one under and two over respectively.

PA