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Aiken leads Spanish Open

Barcelona - Tears flowed and flags flew at half-mast as the Spanish Open remembered national golf icon Seve Ballesteros, who lost his long battle against cancer on Saturday.

Jose Maria Olazabal, a close friend of the 54-year-old Ballesteros and a team-mate in a series of epic Ryder Cup tussles against the United States, was overcome by the news.

"I just played the most difficult round of my life. It was very tough to make it to the first tee and hit the first drive," said Olazabal, who will be Europe's next Ryder Cup skipper.

"I don't think there will ever be another player like him. There can be others that are very good, but none will have his charisma."

Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez - vice-captain to Ballesteros at Valderrama in 1997 when the Ryder Cup was won on Spanish turf - embraced at the start of the day and again after a minute's silence was observed at the El Prat course.

As well as a minute's silence, flags were at half-mast, players wore black ribbons and there was even a round of applause late in the day in honour of five-time Major winner Ballesteros.

Home player Pablo Larrazabal, who was second overnight, dressed all in black as he continued his bid to put his name on a trophy that Ballesteros last lifted in 1995 - one that made him the only player in European Tour history to record 50 victories.

Larrazabal goes into the final round two shots behind leader Thomas Aiken of South Africa.

"Since I heard the news this morning I couldn’t get it out of my head," said Larrazabal. "It has been a tough day. I was on the eighth during the minute of silence, it was the saddest minute of my career.

"I only want to win the tournament for him; if I hit the ball well and putt correctly I have a chance to win it and dedicate it to him and to his family."

Aiken, 27, who has never won on the European Tour, said Ballesteros had been an inspiration to all players.

"Seve’s charisma is an inspiration for all of us," said the South African.

"He played with passion and determination. We must put things in perspective in order to value everything he did for golf. Seve will somehow never die."

Leading and selected third round scores in the Spanish Open at the Real Club de Golf El Prat on Saturday (GBR/IRL unless stated, par 72):

208 - Thomas Aiken (RSA) 68-68-72

210 - Romain Wattel (FRA) 67-71-72, Anders Hansen (DEN) 69-72-69, Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 67-70-73, Scott Jamieson 66-72-72

212 - Shane Lowry 69-73-70, David Horsey 71-70-71, Lorenzo Gagli (ITA) 71-71-70, Gregory Havret (FRA) 71-72-69

213 - Christian Cevaer (FRA) 72-69-72, Alvaro Velasco (ESP) 72-66-75, Chris Wood 70-73-70, Alexander Noren (SWE) 72-67-74, Phillip Price 70-71-72, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 72-70-71, Seve Benson 69-74-70

214 - Niclas Fasth (SWE) 71-72-71, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 72-69-73, Peter Lawrie 68- 72-74, Alexandre Kaleka (FRA) 71-70-73, Simon Dyson 75-67-72

215 - Anthony Wall 68-70-77, David Drysdale 72-71-72, Paul Lawrie 72-71-72, Matteo Manassero (ITA) 73-70-72, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 68-71-76, Danny Willett 70-75-70, Thomas Levet (FRA) 71-70-74

216 - Robert Rock 75-69-72, Andreas Harto (DEN) 70-73-73, Kenneth Ferrie 71-73-72

217 - Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 67-74-76, Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 74-71-72, Colin Montgomerie 70-74-73, Eduardo De La Riva (ESP) 72-73-72, Rafael Cabrera Bello (ESP) 73-70-74, Mark Foster 72-71-74

Selected

219 - Jose-Maria Olazabal (ESP) 72-72-75, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 71-72-76

224 - Jaco Van Zyl (RSA) 71-72-81
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