Tom McKibbin falls off pace at Andalucia Masters

Jeff Winther and Matti Schmid share the lead going into the final round of the Andalucia Masters but they have defending champion Adrian Otaegui breathing down their necks.

Dane Winther and German Schmid began the day two shots off the pace on seven under par but they each made five birdies on the front nine to grab a share of the lead at the turn.

With Winther two groups ahead of Schmid, the Dane's two-putt birdie at the par-five 12th saw him take the outright lead before Schmid picked up a shot at the same hole to join him at the summit.

Winther regained the solo lead at the 14th after taking advantage of the back nine’s second par five, only for Schmid to leapfrog him at the top of the leaderboard with an extraordinary eagle on the same hole.

But a bogey on the 15th saw Schmid slip backwards before a fabulous par save on the last ensured he heads into the fourth round level with Winther at the top on 14 under par.

Home favourite Otaegui, who secured a spectacular six-shot victory at nearby Real Club Valderrama 12 months ago to win this title, saved his best for last as he closed his third-round 69 with back-to-back birdies to sit just two shots behind the co-leaders in third.

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Tom McKibbin's challenge faltered however with a third-round 74 seeing him drop to three-under par, 11 shots off the lead.

Starting at the 10th, he had a pair of double bogeys on the back nine - at the 13th and 16th - saw him tumble down the leaderboard.

Winther has recorded two top-10s in his last three DP World Tour events, including a runners-up finish at last month’s Cazoo Open de France.

He said: "I’ve found something the last couple of weeks, months, that’s working and I’m just sticking to it.

"I’m not trying to do anything that I’m