Nacho Elvira will take a six-shot lead into the final round of the Wales Open after a 5-under-par 66 put him in control at 16-under on Saturday.
“It’s a good feeling,” he said. “But to be honest, I don’t care at the moment. I struggled a bit the last year, year-and-a-half, not with form but it’s golf — mentally, a little bit physically, battling with an injury. I’m happy playing golf again and being in the moment. To be in contention is a gift.”
The Spaniard has not had a top 10 in more than two years and arrived at Celtic Manor having made just two of his last 11 cuts. Elvira bogeyed the first hole after starting with a two-shot advantage but responded with birdies on the second, fifth, ninth, 11th, 14th and 17th.
England’s Callum Shinkwin matched the lowest round of the week with a 63 on day three but may need to repeat that feat if he is to have a chance of reining in the leader, who is looking for his first win on the European Tour.
Shinkwin used his distance to take advantage of the four par-5s and the drivable par-4 15th, with a 30-foot putt on the 17th bringing one of his three other gains.
American Chase Hanna, South African Justin Harding and Finn Mikko Korhonen were alongside Shinkwin at 10-under, a shot clear of another Englishman in Sam Horsfield.
