It's not Dunne yet! Paul leads Spanish Open by one shot

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Paul Dunne will take a one-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the Open de España but he will have two local favourites chasing him down at Centro Nacional de Golf.

The Irishman began his Saturday round with a three-shot lead and fired a 68 to stay atop the leaderboard at 17-under 199, although a 66 from Spaniard Nacho Elvira cut his advantage as he goes in search of a second European Tour title.

The 25 year old Dunne claimed his maiden title at last season's British Masters, while Elvira's best finish on the European Tour was a play-off loss at the 2016 Trophée Hassan II, although he does have four Challenge Tour wins.

World Number Four and local hero Jon Rahm is at 15-unde4 201, alongside Swede Henric Sturehed, one clear of Australian Brett Rumford and two ahead of England's Andy Sullivan.

Home favourite Jorge Campillo, England's Aaron Rai and Scot Marc Warren are at 12 under, a shot clear of defending champion Andrew Johnston, German Maximilian Kieffer, South African Jacques Kruyswijk and Scot Bradley Neil.

Player Quotes

Paul Dunne: "It's probably the best my swing has felt, the best my body has felt like it's been moving, but I just didn't pull the shots off.
"There was a lot of grinding there on the back nine but I'm happy to get in with four under. Probably wouldn't have taken it at the start of the day but given the shots that I hit, I'm pretty happy with it leading into tomorrow.
"Everything feels good, the game feels great, I just didn't pick shots. I hit a few shots without having a shot in mind so that's something to work on for tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have a good day.
"I'm confident about tomorrow. I'm happy where everything is. There's lots of shots I'd like to have back out there but I can't so I'm just going to sleep on the lead and have a good day tomorrow.
Jon Rahm: “The best round of the week so far. I feel like I played pretty similar, maybe a little less comfortable, but I would say I could have hit a few shots a little closer. The shot on two was basically a tap in, the birdie on 11 was basically a tap in, there was a couple I hit really close that allowed me to make a couple of the birdies.

“I wish I could make a couple more putts. I know it’s really hard for everybody, I just hope tomorrow is the day when I make a few, even though I made one today which was about ten feet on number six, that was a little bit of a bonus.

“Being able to win this event would probably be the most special out of all because I have been a national champion at amateur level so many different ways, and to be able to clinch it as a professional, to be the Spanish Open champion and join this elite group of Spanish players who won it, it would be amazing. You have names like Sergio and Seve, and many others. I just found out my coach’s grandfather also won it in 1945, so it has a long legacy of great players.

“You never know down the stretch once the nerves kick in and you need to make the putts, and I know those two guys in the last group are making putts, but if they don’t make them tomorrow it is a very different dynamic. I just need to make sure that I start on a good note and keep it going."

Round Three Scores
par 216 (3x72)

199 P Dunne (Irl) 66 65 68
200 N Elvira (Spn) 68 66 66
201 J Rahm (Spn) 67 68 66, H Sturehed (Swe) 67 68 66
202 B Rumford (Australia) 68 66 68
203 A Sullivan (Eng) 75 63 65
204 M Warren (Sco) 66 69 69, A Rai (Eng) 67 71 66, J Campillo (Spn) 70 67 67,
205 B Neil (Sco) 71 66 68, M Kieffer (Ger) 69 67 69, J Kruyswijk (SAf) 69 70 66, A Johnston (Eng) 68 68 69,
206 R Rock (Eng) 70 65 71, P Oriol (Spn) 68 71 67, C Shinkwin (Eng) 67 67 72,
207 J Thomson (Eng) 67 71 69, A Wu (Chn) 70 70 67, H Tanihara (Jpn) 70 70 67, S Del Val (Spn) 74 65 68, C Ford (Eng) 70 69 68, A Björk (Swe) 67 72 68, J Winther (Den) 69 67 71, P Angles (Spn) 72 66 69, M Schwab (Aut) 67 71 69, S Han (USA) 70 69 68,
208 G Bourdy (Fra) 70 67 71, T Olesen (Den) 68 68 72, R Paratore (Ita) 70 70 68, E Van Rooyen (SAf) 67 71 70, F Aguilar (Chi) 72 66 70, M Fraser (Aus) 71 66 71, J Norris (Aus) 67 71 70, V Pastor (am) (Esp) 67 72 69,
209 A Otaegui (Spn) 69 70 70, D Burmester (SAf) 73 65 71, G Coetzee (SAf) 72 66 71, B Dredge (Wal) 71 68 70, P Larrazábal (Spn) 71 65 73, N Colsaerts (Bel) 71 67 71, Y Miyazato (Jpn) 69 68 72, A Connelly (Can) 72 66 71, A Cañizares (Spn) 72 67 70, J Choi (SKor) 70 69 70, T Pulkkanen (Fin) 75 65 69, A Wall (Eng) 70 70 69, N Bertasio (Ita) 69 70 70,
210 B Stone (RSA) 71 67 72, R Cho (SKor) 73 64 73, R Sterne (RSA) 68 70 72, D Howell (Eng) 72 66 72, A Pavan (Ita) 71 67 72, M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 69 68 73, M Manassero (Ita) 69 71 70, G Green (Mas) 71 68 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 70 69 71, D Fichardt (RSA) 69 71 70, S Kim (USA) 69 68 73, J Guerrier (Fra) 67 69 74,
211 S Gros (Fra) 73 67 71, R Gouveia (Por) 69 70 72, S Gallacher (Sco) 70 70 71, M Schneider (Ger) 76 63 72, C Bezuidenhout (SAf) 69 71 71, R Ramsay (Sco) 73 66 72,
212 T Murray (Eng) 72 67 73, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 68 72 72,
213 G Storm (Eng) 70 70 73, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 69 71 73,
214 J Scrivener (Aus) 70 69 75, J Dantorp (Swe) 73 67 74,
215 D Lipsky (USA) 69 71 75,
216 P Waring (Eng) 68 72 76, T Jaidee (Tha) 72 67 77,