Brian Davis holds a one shot lead in Spanish Open

Brian Davis, looking for his first win on the European Tour, shot a six-under-par 66 today to take a one-shot lead going into the final round of the $938,000 Spanish Open in Girona.

Davis, who has never finished in the top 50 in three years on the European Tour, is at 11-under 205, one shot ahead of Austria's Markus Brier.

"I played excellent golf today," Davis said. "This is obviously a golden chance for a first win."

The 25 year-old Londoner had seven birdies and dropped his only shot when he drove into a bunker on the 14th.

Brier, the only Austrian with a full Tour membership, missed one fairway and had six birdies in his 67.

Argentine veteran Eduardo Romero moved up into third place with a 65 and is at 9-under 207.

"People are talking about Colin Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia but what about Eduardo Romero?" he asked with a smile.

Wielding the new Calloway ERC driver, a club which has been banned in the US for its spring-effect head, Romero had five birdies and eagled the 12th when he hit a 3-iron to 3 feet.

"I think Monday I have to beat Sergio (Garcia) and Montgomerie." Romero said.

Montgomerie is lurking a shot behind Romero at 8-under 208 after a third-round 70 and is tied with Spain's Carlos Rodiles.

The Scot birdied two of the first three holes but never sustained his initial momentum.

Montgomerie picked up five birdies overall, but again struggled with his short games. He three-putted the 5th for bogey and double-bogeyed the 10th when he drove into trees, was then plugged in sand and finally three-putted from the fringe, missing the second from under 3 feet.

"That double bogey stopped me," the Scot admitted. "But I'm only three back, and I've made up more than that to win."

Montgomerie had to contend with a balky putter and a noisy gallery at the Catalunya course. He also took away a spectator's camera on the 12th hole.

Fighting a cold, Sergio Garcia gave himself a shot at the title with a brilliant 66, recording five birdies in a six-hole stretch and eagling the 15th to finish five shots off the pace at 6-under 210.

"It was impossible to play better," the Spaniard said. "That was the easiest 66 of my life. I look forward to tomorrow."

Results from the Spanish Open

205 B Davis 71 68 66 206 M Brier (Aut) 69 70 67 207 E Romero (Arg) 70 72 65 208 C Rodiles (Spa) 72 69 67, C Montgomerie 67 71 70 209 T Gogele (Ger) 72 70 67, G Orr 68 73 68 210 S Garcia (Spa) 70 74 66 211 S Hansen (Den) 70 74 67, S Struver (Ger) 68 74 69, S Rowe (USA) 70 71 70, C Suneson (Spa) 71 70 70, J Senden (Aus) 71 69 71, S Scahill (Nzl) 69 69 73 212 P Price 70 73 69, I Pyman 71 69 72, A Coltart 70 69 73 213 N Fasth (Swe) 70 73 70, V Phillips 73 70 70, J Quiros (Spa) 66 70 77 214 R Johnson (Swe) 71 76 67, E Boult (Nzl) 71 75 68, A Hansen (Den) 71 73 70, G Murphy 72 72 70, P Baker 70 73 71, D De Vooght (Bel) 72 70 72, D Robertson 65 76 73, J Lomas 70 71 73, G Evans 70 67 77 215 O Eliasson (Swe) 71 76 68, M Martin (Spa) 73 74 68, M Mackenzie 72 73 70, F Cea (Spa) 69 76 70 , P Affleck 68 77 70, R Chapman 74 71 70, A Cabrera (Arg) 73 72 70, P Quirici (Swi) 66 78 71, G Owen 70 72 73, T Johnstone (Zim) 71 70 74 216 M Florioli (Ita) 73 74 69, J Bickerton 70 76 70, JM Olazabal (Spa) 69 76 71, J Moseley (Aus) 74 71 71, R Green (Aus) 73 72 71, B Lane 70 74 72,D Carter 72 72 72, J Coceres (Arg) 73 70 73, T Levet (Fra) 72 68 76 217 D Borrego (Spa) 74 72 71, F Roca (Spa) 72 73 72, O Edmond (Fra) 72 73 72, J Aguero (Spa) 72 72 73, T Bjorn (Den) 68 76 73, S Tinning (Den) 71 72 74, N O'Hern (Aus) 66 77 74, D Lynn 73 70 74, I Woosnam 73 69 75, E Canonica (Ita) 73 67 77 218 R Coles 71 76 71, G Brand Jnr 71 76 71, A Forsyth 78 69 71, D Howell 70 75 73, J Sandelin (Swe) 68 77 73, T Munoz (Spa) 72 72 74 219 P-U Johansson (Swe) 69 78 72, I Hutchings (Rsa) 72 74 73, D Hospital (Spa) 72 73 74, B Teilleria (Fra) 72 73 74 220 P Sjoland (Swe) 72 75 73, (x) R Finch 73 74 73, S Webster 74 71 75,(x) E De La Riva (Spa) 71 73 76, JM Arruti (Spa) 73 71 76 221 M Lanner (Swe) 74 72 75, D Gilford 73 72 76, S Gallacher 71 74 76, H Otto (Rsa) 71 72 78, S Luna (Spa) 75 68 78 W/drawn: A Wall