Tight at the top in Madrid

No fewer than nine players held at least a share of the lead during the early stages of the Madrid Open final round at Club de Campo today.

They included Spaniard Ivo Giner, who had to finish first or second to keep his European tour card. But Giner then ran up a triple bogey seven on the fifth hole.

After six holes overnight leaders Paul Broadhurst and Darren Fichardt were still out in front at 15 under.

On the same mark were Australian Terry Price and South African Richard Sterne, who probably needed only a top 20 finish to avoid a trip to the qualifying school.

Sterne, 122nd on the Order of Merit and needing to get into the top 116, almost holed-in-one at the ninth and as he sank the three-foot birdie putt for an outward 31 Fichardt double-bogeyed the eighth and Broadhurst bogeyed it.

At 17 under Sterne led by one from Price and by two from Broadhurst, Fichardt, Dane Anders Hansen, France’s Raphael Jacquelin and Swede Johan Edfors, the player who was joint leader with a hole to play yesterday when it was suspected his ball was picked up by a spectator in the trees.

Because it was not seen on television or spotted by anybody else in the crowd, however, it became a lost ball and he double-bogeyed the hole. He needed first or second to retain his tour card.

Sterne made an 18-foot putt to save par on the short 11th to remain two ahead, while Edfors birdied the 13th to climb into the joint second place he needed to survive on tour.

Sterne went three clear with another birdie at the long 14th, but Edfors bogeyed the 15th and dropped to fourth - not enough for him.

Sterne currently leads by two on 18 under after 17 holes.