South Africa's Retief Goosen is on the brink of becoming European number one for the first time after seizing a two-stroke lead in the third round of the Madrid Open today.
Goosen's only rival for the order of merit, Irishman Darren Clarke, shot a blistering 65 but conceded the title when he said he would not play in next week's Italian Open.
With a five-under-par 66 taking him to a 17-under total of 196, Goosen would have to shoot his final round in the 90s and Clarke, already five strokes off the pace, would need victory here to keep the season's money list race alive.
Goosen looks set for his third tournament win of the year following his third-round haul of seven birdies with two dropped shots at Club de Campo.
He leads playing partner and overnight leader David Higgins of Ireland, England's Steve Webster and Spaniard Diego Borrego by two strokes.
His run of four birdies from the seventh must have been like a knife to Clarke's heart, as Goosen, who had taken over from Higgins as early as a second hole birdie, adjusted his aim upwards to the Stg£145,000 first prize.
Goosen finished off his day with aplomb, hitting to just 15 inches on the elevated 18th green for his seventh birdie, and he wants to end the week in similar fashion to highlight his order of merit success.
"It was a nice way to finish and with a two-shot lead I now have a great chance to win," the South African said.
"Darren could still shoot 60 tomorrow, though, and win, and funny things happen. It isn't quite that he has no chance.
"But I'm going to try to win the tournament and if I can it would be great to wrap up the order of merit that way."
Clarke looks certain, though, to have to resign himself to a third order of merit runners-up place in four years, even though he did his best to stay on the scene with a flawless card of six birdies in his 65.
Clarke said: "I will be partying next week...at home! Retief's played so well this year, week in week out, so he deserves it."