Tom McKibbin lies fifth, six shots off the lead, going into Sunday's final round at the Open de Espana.
The Holywood clubman carded a four-under 67 around the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid on Saturday to move up to 10 under overall.
A mixed start saw McKibbin birdie four and seven but bogey the par-4 sixth. The back nine proved more fruitful as he birdied 10, 13, 16 and 18, with the only blemish of the day coming on the 12th.
England's Marco Penge holds a four-shot lead on 16 under after a 64, featuring eight birdies and just one bogey.
Penge had an early mishap breaking his pitching wedge playing out of the trees at the second hole but, after impressively saving par there and playing the first six holes in one over par, he produced an astonishing run of scoring.
The impressive run, included putts of 24, 20, 17 and 16 feet and a chip-in at the 12th.
Playing partner Joel Girrbach was his nearest challenger at a distant 12 under after a 67, while Englishman Daniel Brown and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed are one stroke further back on 11 under in a tie for fourth - American Reed also firing 67.
Penge said: "I was just trying to go as low as I could.
"I’ve learnt in the past that when you’re leading, you can’t just…not play steady, that’s not the right word, but you’ve got to be going forward because everyone else will catch you up. It was nice to prove to myself that I can do it."
Shane Lowry is not involved in the weekend rounds after the Offaly man missed the cut on Friday in his first tournament since scoring the decisive winning putt for Europe at the Ryder Cup. Conor Purcell withdrew after round one.
