Jon Rahm was targeting a fast start to round four as he went in search of a second European Tour title on home soil at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation.
The Spaniard claimed Rolex Series victories in Ireland and Dubai in 2017 and then delighted the home fans at last season's Open de España but he has not had the best of luck previously at Real Club Valderrama.
A brilliant 67 in tough conditions on day three bucked that trend and he will head out on Sunday five shots behind leader Christiaan Bezuidenhout in Sotogrande.
"I'm confident," he said. "There's a lot of shots to make up and I'm also aware that every time you play here in the afternoon the wind is going to pick up, the greens are going to get a little firmer every single day.
"I knew a good start was critical and I'm happy I started the way I did, hopefully I can do the same tomorrow. If I can get off to a good start and play as solid a nine holes as I did, I give myself a chance on the back nine."
Rahm birdied the fourth and sixth and then got up and down from a bunker on the eighth to turn in 32.
A missed green and a poor chip led to a bogey on the 15th but he got on the 17th in two for a birdie and then holed a 12 footer on the next for a big finish.
"The biggest difference today was how I played off the tee," he said. "I can't recall missing many fairways. I always had a chance and on that front nine, I putted for birdie pretty much on every hole.
"The back nine the wind picked up and it got a little more difficult but I relied on my short game, made a lot of good pars on ten, 11, 12 and 14.
"After bogeying 15 I thought it was time to make something happen, I struggled on 16 but on the 17th tee I hit the probably the longest drive I'm going to hit this week and got things going back on track and finished strong."
