Daniel Vancsik in sight of victory

A four-under 68 took the leader for all three rounds to 13-under-par with a total of 203, two shots ahead of Denmark's Mads Vibe-Hastrup who posted a 67.

Vancsik may well come under pressure from Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy, though.

The 18-year-old is well within reach of a record maiden win in only his third event as a professional after shooting a 66.

That took him to third place, four strokes off the pace, alongside Spain's Alejandro Canizares (72), who was joint leader with Vancsik after two rounds.

Vancsik, in only his second year on the European Tour but looking to add to his Madeira Islands Open success in March, was running away with the event, five strokes ahead of the field, before faltering at the island hole short 14th.

Here his ball came up just short of the green and plummeted into the lake causing him to double bogey. He also bogeyed the 15th and 17th but salvaged his lead with birdies on the 16th and 18th.

"I would have taken a 68 so I can't get too angry about the 14th," he told reporters. "I was unlucky.

"I still feel I am playing well enough to win tomorrow."

The 30-year-old is hoping to form part of a hat-trick of Argentine successes on Sunday.

"Tomorrow could be an amazing day for Argentina with Angel (Cabrera) in the (World) Matchplay final and Argentina in the rugby World Cup semi-final," Vancsik added. "I hope to be part of it."

South Africans stand in the way of both Cabrera, who faces Ernie Els at Wentworth in England, and Argentina's rugby team, who play the Springboks at the Stade de France in Paris.

Vibe-Hastrup is eyeing his maiden title but third-placed McIlroy could capture the headlines on Sunday with a win that would beat South African Dale Hayes's age record by 127 days.

Hayes won the 1971 Spanish Open when he was 18 and 290 days while McIlroy will be 18 and 163 days on Sunday.

The Ulster youngster began in spectacular fashion, sinking a 60-footer on the opening hole to start with three successive birdies.

Only back-to-back bogeys on the incoming nine prevented McIlroy, who collected eight birdies in all, from being nearer to his goal.

He is fully aware of Hayes's achievement and that he can also better Spaniard Sergio Garcia's record of winning a title at the fourth attempt as a pro.

"If I can chip in with another 66 tomorrow you never know, I have a good chance," McIlroy, who finished third last week in the Dunhill Links Championship, told reporters.

"I was six behind last week and nearly closed the gap, so there is no reason why I can't do it tomorrow," he added.