Local favourite Angel Hidalgo enjoyed home comforts on day three of the 2022 Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters as he shot a sensational 70 in front of bumper crowds to head into the final round in a share of second place.
Hidalgo began the day in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard and started his third round brightly, slotting in a 16-foot putt for a birdie at the second before making a couple of confident par putts.
After bogeying the seventh, the 24-year-old got the shot straight back at the eighth before somehow escaping with a par on the ninth after getting into significant tree trouble there.
He then mixed two more birdies with two bogeys on Real Club Valderrama's back nine, finishing his round with a fine birdie putt from 11 feet which sent his fans home happy.
Hidalgo came into the week 130th on the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex but has put himself in a brilliant position to climb up the charts.
After heading into the clubhouse on ten under par, Hidalgo said: "It was an amazing round. A lot of pressure on the first shot, the most pressure I have ever had, but I’m really happy. I’m happy with the score, with the feelings, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.
"The other players have pressure to win the tournament, but I have more pressure because I’m fighting for the card for next year.
"I’m close to my home town, I have spectators following me, so that gave me a lot of confidence. A big push for tomorrow."
Joining Hidalgo in second spot, six shots off the lead held by Adrian Otaegui, is Swede Joakim Lagergren following his third-round 67.
Lagergren reached the turn in 36 after carding two bogeys and one birdie on the front side but caught fire down the stretch, reeling off four birdies on the spin at the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th thanks to some lengthy putts.
He then recovered from a dropped shot at the 16th with a 21-foot eagle from just off the 17th green.
Lagergren said: "That was some proper golf today. Scrambling around like I was today... I was all over the place, I’ve seen every bit of Valderrama. My scrambling was good, but I need to be better off the tee.
"If I’m better off the tee, my iron play, my wedge game is pretty good and my putting is certainly good. If I find some fairways tomorrow it could be interesting."
