Sergio Garcia took a one-shot lead into the back nine as the final round of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation looked to be developing into a three-horse race.
The home favourite led by one coming into day four and turned in 33 to get to ten under and maintain that advantage over Dutchman Joost Luiten.
England's Daniel Brooks was then at seven under, two shots clear of Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Scotland's Scott Jamieson.
Garcia is a five-time winner on home soil, with all of those victories coming after he has held the 54-hole lead, and he is looking for a third European Tour victory of the season.
Luiten is looking for a first win in a season that has seen him miss just four of 21 cuts but also only claim one top ten.
Brooks entered the week knowing he needed a top-eight finish to have a chance of keeping his playing privileges for next season and he turned in level par.
The 30 year old holed a six-foot right-to-lefter on the second to join Garcia in the lead but the Spaniard holed a slippery one down the hill on the par five fourth to edge back ahead.
Luiten began his round with four straight pars but hit a stunning approach to tap-in range on the fifth and when he put his tee-shot on the par three sixth to six feet and made the putt, he was just one off the lead.
A top eight finish could get Donaldson into the Access List top ten and stop him having to go to Qualifying School or use his Career Money List exemption next season but a bogey on the second dropped him to fifth.
He was in trouble off the tee on the seventh but played a brilliant second through the trees to help save what could be a vital par, while Jamieson missed a short one on the same hole to drop a shot after six straight pars.
Brooks got a flier with his second through the back of the eighth green and failed to get up and down for a first bogey of the day, while Garcia saved his par after finding the greenside bunker.
It was advantage Luiten on the ninth when he put his approach close but Garcia holed with a fairway wood from the fringe with Luiten following him in as both men made birdies.
Donaldson and Jamieson then both birdied the tenth to sit a shot clear of Anders Hansen.
The Dane needs a win this week to keep his card and he was two under through his first ten holes, six shots off the lead.
Wade Ormsby - at 106th in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex entering the week - is still not certain of keeping his card for next season but he is well placed on the Access List and was at three under after ten holes alongside local favourite Adrian Otaegui, who had played 15.
Nino Bertasio, Søren Kjeldsen and Aaron Rai were then two under.
