Portuguese Open
Le Meridien
Penina, Portugal
19th - 22nd March 1998

Par 73 Prize Money £350,000

Third Round Report

Third Round Scores
Second Round Report
Second Round Scores
First Round Report
First Round Scores

Peter Mitchell leads by one-shot going into the final round

Penina, Algarve, 21st March 1998 - Peter Mitchell of England shot a 6-under-par 67 today and took a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Portuguese Open.

"The most important thing tomorrow (in Sunday's final round) is to be aggressive," said Mitchell, winner of last year's Madeira Open in the Portuguese islands, who had a 54-hole total of 15-under 204.

Scotsman Peter Lawrie fired a 69 for 205 and second place. Third at 207 was Englishman David Gilford, who carded a 70.

Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin had a sparkling 9-under-par 64 and moved into a fourth-place tie with second-round leader Wayne Riley of Australia at 209. Riley slumped to a 1-over 74. Sandelin had nine birdies over the 6,903-yard Penina layout, matching the previous day's 64 by Lawrie,

However, neither score was eligible for the course record because preferred lies were used in damp areas of the course.

Seve Ballesteros, winless the past three years, recovered from a double bogey 6 at the second hole to shoot a six-birdie 69, his best score of the tournament. He was at 214.