Spanish veteran Jose Rivero kept his cool in changeable winds to take a one-shot lead in the Estoril Open on Saturday and close in on his first win in seven years.

Rivero's two-under-par 70 took him to two-under-par 214 for three rounds as the scoring spiralled round the course in testing weather.

Overnight leader Jeff Remesy of France was one of many casualties as he dropped four shots over his closing three holes for a 77 - and a share of 11th place on 218.

Rivero's 70 gave the 43-year-old Spaniard the second-best score of the week as he aims to add to his career tally of four European Tour titles.

Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen birdied the last for a 72 to earn himself second place on 215, with Niclas Fasth of Sweden, Britain's Gary Emerson and Sean Corte-Real of Portugal a further stroke back.

Corte-Real returned a 69, equalling the best card of the week, Emerson overtook an array of British challengers this week with a 72, while Fasth slipped to a 74 but hardly lost position.

The difficult conditions left just those five players on par or better but former Ryder Cup man Rivero insisted it was not his bad weather experience over a 23-year career which had taken him to the top of the leaderboard.

"I just played very well. It is not down to experience. I've played well over the last three days and it's more hard work than experience," said the Spaniard, who dropped a single shot as he collected three birdies going out and a run of steady pars coming home.

"It's been a long time coming. So has getting back to winning and I'm hoping to find out what it's like again."

Kjeldsen only just made his tour card last year but the young Dane has made sure he will not have a scramble this time.

He arrived in Portugal on the back of a tied second place in the Qatar Masters and has given himself a chance to go one better than in Doha a few weeks ago.

Corte-Real has proved the reward for Portuguese sponsors who have backed three events in Portugal this year.