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Linda Wessberg leads in Wales

Sweden 's Linda Wessberg grabbed the outright lead in the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe after a wet and windy third round at Machynys Peninsula Golf and Country Club in Llanelli.

The 26-year-old from Gothenburg, who led after the second round with local favourite Becky Brewerton, fired a 69 to finish the day on 13-under-par 203, two shots ahead of 22-year-old Australian rookie Nikki Garrett, who carded 69.

Sweden 's Helen Alfredsson, the European Solheim Cup captain, had a 71 and was in third place on ten-under–par.

Wessberg, who has twice been a runner-up on the Ladies European Tour, is still awaiting her first win in her third season as a professional but finished third in this year's BMW Ladies Italian Open.

She said: “It was definitely tough out there today but I was just trying to stay positive.

“There are so many good players out there you never know what's going to happen. I'm going to go out there and try to have fun tomorrow.”

Wessberg spent four years at Oklahoma State University where the wind can be notoriously strong in autumn and spring and has been educated in mastering the elements. She also learned her golf on the island of Ourst on the west coast of Sweden , another windy location and she admitted that she hoped for high winds again in the final round. “I would prefer it to be windy because I feel that everyone can play well if it's not windy,” she said.

Wessberg began the day tied with her playing partner Brewerton on ten-under and both players birdied the first and third holes to move to twelve-under. The Swede became the outright leader at the sixth, after three birdies in five holes.

She dropped her first shot of the day when she missed the green at the par-five 10 th but moved back to 13-under after she hit a half wedge to nine feet at the 15 th . She bogeyed the short 17 th when she three putted from the fringe – but moved back to 13-under when she two putted for birdie at the long 18th .

Brewerton shot 73 and was four shots off the lead heading into the final round. She was one shot ahead of a group of three which included England 's Laura Davies, Sweden 's Cecilia Ekelundh and Elisa Serramia of Spain.