Ignacio Garrido three-putted the last but still holds a three-stroke lead heading into the final round of the Spanish Open in Seville tomorrow.

The 36-year-old, just 19 days old when his father Antonio won the title in 1972, followed up his course record 63 with only a level par 72 and so remained 15 under par.

Denied the title by Seve Ballesteros in 1995, Garrido faced another Spanish showdown, with his nearest challenger Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Eighth in The Masters a month ago and also trying to win his national championship for the first time, 44-year-old Jimenez shot 67 to take over second place.

The round of the day, though, came from 20-year-old Yorkshire amateur Danny Willett, a 64 lifting him from 59th to 11th.

Nine under par for the first 14 holes, Willett needed only one more birdie to equal the lowest round by an amateur in European Tour history.

But as the television cameras arrived, he bogeyed the 15th and parred the remaining three.

Darren Clarke, winner of his first European Tour title for five years in Shanghai last week, finally shook off the jetlag with a 67 that put him eight under and in joint 14th place.

The 39-year-old eagled the par five fifth, birdied the eighth before adding two further birdies in the closing three holes.

Peter Lawrie continues to keep pace and in touch of Garrido's lead as the Dubliner closed with a birdie for a four-under 68. That leaves him tied sixth on 10-under.

Paul McGinley is well down the field on four-under after his 70.

Colin Montgomerie still looked rusty after his five-week lay-off - he married for a second time two weeks ago and then went on honeymoon to Venice - and with a 74 was only joint 66th of the 75 who survived the cut.