Richie Ramsay was on course to claim the biggest title of his career after opening up a healthy lead heading into the final nine holes of the Omega European Masters.
The 29 year old Scot, whose only previous European Tour win came in the 2010 South African Open Championship, extended his overnight advantage from one to three with another classy display at Crans-sur-Sierre.
After keeping a bogey off his card during a sublime third round 64, Ramsay wasted little time in pulling clear of the field this morning as he turned in 31 with the aid of five birdies to reach 16 under.
Paul Lawrie, a player chasing back to back victories, initially claimed a share of top spot courtesy of an eagle at the first. However, he then dropped shots at the third and fourth, and saw Ramsay birdie both holes.
A three at the par four sixth lifted Lawrie back to 11 under.
England’s Danny Willett was two shots better off in second following four birdies in five holes at the end of his front nine, but Ramsay, whose last bogey came at the 11th on Friday, remained firmly in control.
Marcus Fraser, Bernd Wiesberger, Felipe Aguilar, Julien Quesne and Romain Wattel shared fourth on 10 under, while Mathias Grönberg - champion here in 1995 - provided one of the highlights of the morning with a hole in one at the 194 yard third.
