Aguilar is on course for his third Euro title

CHILE’S Felipe Aguilar remains on course for a wire-to-wire victory in the Lyoness Open after firing a third round of 72 at Diamond Country Club.

Aguilar, who is seeking a third European Tour title, carded four birdies and four bogeys to finish nine under par and hold a two-shot lead for the third day in succession.

Austria’s Sepp Straka, who is ranked 1,181st in the world, Sweden’s Johan Carlsson and South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli share second place on seven under, with England’s Richard McEvoy, South Africa’s Jbe Kruger, Spain’s Carlos Pigem and Finland’s Mikko Korhonen on six under.

Aguilar, who has missed the cut in six of his 11 events this season and has a best finish of 41st, made the ideal start with a birdie on the first, only to three-putt the second.

The 42-year-old surged four clear of the field with birdies on the fourth and seventh, but bogeyed the eighth and 14th to allow Straka to get within one thanks to birdies on the 15th and 16th.

Straka’s bogey on the 17th and a two-putt birdie on the 15th allowed Aguilar to move three ahead until a bogey on the 18th set up a tense final day.

“Today I think I left many shots on the golf course,” Aguilar said.

“I played quite well and I missed a couple of greens, which is normal, and several putts I missed for birdie, so it could have been a little bit better, but I’m still in contention and this is what I wanted on Thursday so we will see what happens.

“I think on the greens I left a couple of shots out there that could have made a huge difference for tomorrow and hopefully tomorrow they will go in. Chile’s Felipe Aguilar