Scotland’s Grant Forrest and England’s Joe Dean tie for lead in Spanish Open

Grant Forrest and Joe Dean share a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Open de Espana in Madrid.

Forrest began the day with a one-shot advantage at the Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid but slipped down the leaderboard after bogeying the fifth hole.

However, birdies at the 11th, 14th and 16th gave the Scot a four-under-par round of 67 and a total of 13 under.

Forrest, who is searching for his third DP World Tour title, said on europeantour.com: “I’m happy with how I handled today.

“I didn’t have my best stuff but I’m really proud of how I dug in and made some nice putts, a couple of good recovery shots, and all in all a decent score again.

“This is one of my favourite tournaments, it’s been good to me in the past, and I’d love nothing more than to go home with a trophy tomorrow.”

His round was enough to leave him tied for the lead alongside Sheffield’s Dean, who will feel he should have produced an even better outcome than the 65 he signed for.

Dean followed five birdies on the front nine with three more at the 12th, 14th and 15th to open up a three-shot lead.

But the 32-year-old then double-bogeyed the 16th and dropped another shot at 17 before finishing on a high with a 31-foot putt for birdie on the last.

“It gave a little bit of hope after those previous two holes,” said Dean. “We’ll go again and see what happens.”

France’s Victor Perez and Dane Jacob Skov Olesen both also posted rounds of 65 to move to 12 under, one shot off the lead, alongside Joel Girrbach of Switzerland, who was round in 67.

Angel Ayora is the leading Spanish hope and he sits three shots off the lead after a 66 on a day of low scoring.