Matthieu Pavon will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Acciona Open de España presented by Madrid. He maintained his fantastic form with a 66 on day three at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. The Frenchman has led the way since carding an opening 63 in the Spanish capital and has been playing confidently. He is currently 16 under after 54 holes.
Nathan Kimsey from England is his closest challenger, two shots behind after a 65. Local favorite Alfredo Garcia-Heredia, French duo Romain Langasque and Mike Lorenzo-Vera, and South African Zander Lombard are two shots further back.
Pavon is still seeking his first win on the DP World Tour but has two victories on the Alps Tour. He has finished second three times on both the European Challenge and DP World Tours. He finished as the runner-up at this event last year, and also finished second earlier this season at the 2021 Portugal Masters, the only other time he had held a 54-hole lead.
Pavon arrived in Madrid after a top-ten finish in Scotland last week and has only dropped two shots all week, setting himself up for a potential victory.
In an interview, Pavon mentioned that he fought against his emotions during the round but managed to stay focused. He expressed his fondness for the tournament and the course, and hoped to build on last year’s performance. Pavon also acknowledged the challenge of competing against players like Jon Rahm, whom he considers to be on another level.
Pavon was briefly caught by his playing partners, but a birdie on the fourth hole helped him regain the lead. He maintained his advantage with solid play and crucial putts, despite a late bogey on the 17th hole.
Kimsey, a winner of qualifying school and the Road To Mallorca, showed strong form on the back nine after a slower start. He expressed his desire to secure his first DP World Tour victory and acknowledged the intensity of the competition.
Lombard, with five runner-up finishes to his name, and Lorenzo-Vera, with five second-place finishes, are also in contention for their first DP World Tour titles. Garcia-Heredia and Langasque posted solid rounds to stay within striking distance.
Other notable players in the field include Marcus Helligkilde, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, Julien Guerrier, and Eddie Pepperell, who are all at 11 under par. Dan Bradbury made his third hole-in-one of the season, an impressive feat with a 226-yard four iron at the third hole.
Please note that this text has been generated by an AI and may contain minor errors or inconsistencies.
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