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Madrid - England's Lee Slattery, chasing the first European Tour victory of his career, will take a two-shot lead into Sunday's Madrid Masters final round and world No 1 Luke Donald has a huge task to catch his fellow Briton.
Slattery, lying 136th on the Race to Dubai money-list and desperate for a good week to secure a tour card next season, led for a second successive day after carding a three-under-par 69 on Saturday.
That took him to 14-under 202, two better than Italian rookie Lorenzo Gagli (69) and triple tour winner Brett Rumford of Australia (68).
Donald was six shots off the lead after another miserable finish at the El Encin course, bogeying three of the last five holes for a 70.
The Englishman followed the same watery route as day one with his approach at the par-five final hole, sending his ball into the lake.
However, it is putting frailties this week that have put Race to Dubai leader Donald on the back foot in his attempt to win and put some extra distance between him and his money-list rivals.
A missed four-footer on 13 cost him a birdie and he sent a three-footer past the cup on 14 to bogey. A poor chip added another shot on 16.
"I've not played 18 very well all week," Donald told Reuters. "I'm three-over there and that's losing five shots to the field.
"I've also missed a bunch of putts, from six or seven feet, inside five feet. I've struggled with the reads and the pace."
Donald refused to rule himself out of contention though.
"I'll need to go really low tomorrow, 64 or 65, which can be done on this course," he said. "But I'm going to need some help from the field."
Slattery has two second places to his name on the European Tour and two wins on the second-tier Challenge Tour. The 33-year-old has also found 2011 a struggle until this week.
"It's been tough this year so there's obviously a little bit of pressure on me tomorrow," said the Englishman. "Somehow I've got to be able to relax.
"It's going to be all about switching off tonight and not worrying about it."
Gagli is seeking to emulate compatriot Matteo Manassero by winning in his first season and going on to become Europe's rookie of the year.
The Italian lies 49th on the money-list after a third place and three top-five finishes. A session with Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal in April has proved inspiring, he said.
"We spent five days together in Italy and I learned such a lot from him, he is such a good coach and a gentleman," said the 25-year-old Gagli. "It improved my golf so much."
Francesco Molinari, four strokes better than his brother Edoardo, lies joint fourth with Argentine Cesar Monasterio and Swede Oscar Floren on 11-under.
Leading and selected Madrid Masters third round scores at the El Encin Golf Hotel on Saturday (GBR and IRL unless stated, par 72):
202 - Lee Slattery 67-66-69
204 - Brett Rumford (AUS) 65-71-68, Lorenzo Gagli (ITA) 65-70-69
205 - Francesco Molinari (ITA) 67-67-71, Oscar Floren (SWE) 69-69-67, Cesar Monasterio (ARG) 68-70-67
206 - Eduardo De La Riva (ESP) 67-67-72
207 - Thomas Aiken (RSA) 71-69-67, Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 67-72-68
208 - Luke Donald 68-70-70, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (ESP) 65-75-68, Benjamin Hebert (FRA) 69-72-67
209 - Richard McEvoy 69-71-69, Tano Goya (ARG) 67-70-72, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 66-73-70
210 - Tim Sluiter (NED) 71-70-69, Carlos Rodiles (ESP) 70-68-72, Bradley Dredge 67-73-70, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 70-71-69
211 - Mark Tullo (CHI) 68-73-70, Oliver Wilson 68-69-74, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 70-72-69, Jason Knutzon (USA) 70-68-73, Peter Hanson (SWE) 67-72-72, Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 73-69-69, Pedro Oriol (ESP) 71-71-69, Ross McGowan 64-72-75
212 - Robert Jan Derksen (NED) 70-73-69, John Parry 69-73-70, Ross Fisher 72-70-70, Mikko Korhonen (FIN) 71-68-73, Jaco Van Zyl (RSA) 70-71-71, Florian Fritsch (GER) 71-72-69, Anthony Kang (USA) 69-73-70, Thomas Norret (DEN) 68-72-72, Marc Warren 72-68-72, Paul McGinley 72-70-70
Selected:
213 - George Coetzee (RSA) 73-70-70, Graeme Storm 67-72-74, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 71-71-71
217 - Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 75-68-74, Paul Lawrie 72-71-74
