Twenty-year-old Spaniard Pablo Martin is on course to become the first amateur ever to win on the European Tour with nine holes to play in the Portuguese Open at Oitavos today.

The American college student, playing on an invitation and in joint third place overnight, went to the turn in 34 and on six under par is a stroke ahead of South African Charl Schwartzel and France's Raphael Jacquelin.

Irishman David Sheehan was the last amateur winner of a professional event in Europe, the 1962 Jeyes tournament at Royal Dublin, but that was before the foundation of the Tour.

Third round leader Alex Noren, of Sweden, had an outward 38 and last year's English amateur champion Ross McGowan, who was lying second, managed only 40.

They are two and five behind as a result.