It looks set to be the month of the first-time winners on the European Tour. The latest new face to make his mark is Argentina&aposs Daniel Vancsik, who after a flawless 68 will take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the Madeira Islands Open, while Australian Simon Nash fired a 71 to be eight shots from the lead. If the 30-year-old goes on to win he will join South African Anton Haig, China&aposs Liang Wen-chong and Thai golfer Chapchai Nirat in tasting maiden success on the circuit in March. Vancsik, who in his first full season in Europe last year did not manage a single top-10 finish in 25 starts, stands on the 14 under par total of 202, with Dane Mads Vibe-Hastrup 10 under and Frenchman Christian Cevaer one further back. Vibe-Hastrup, who also returned a 68, is chasing his first victory as well. Cevaer, Spanish Open champion three years ago, resumed only one behind Vancsik, managed only a level par 72, as did Spain&aposs Santiago Luna to slip into a tie for fourth with Scot Euan Little on eight under, six behind. England&aposs Kenneth Ferrie and Welshman Bradley Dredge, both of whom make their Masters debut on Thursday week, have failed to make their presence felt. Ferrie, who qualified for Augusta by finishing sixth at the US Open last June and shared the lead with Phil Mickelson after three rounds there, crashed to a 78 on Saturday and is a massive 20 strokes adrift. Dredge shot 70, but is still 13 behind. Vancsik was caught early on when Cevaer and Luna both birdied the long third, but he responded by picking up shots on the fifth, seventh, 11th and 14th. Scores after the third round of the Madeira Islands Open -14: Daniel Vancsik 68 66 68 -10: Mads Vibe-Hastrup 68 70 68 -9: Christian Cevaer 70 65 72 -8: Euan Little 73 66 69, Santiago Luna 69 67 72 -7: Gr gory Bourdy 74 67 68, David Frost 72 65 72 -6: Fredrik Andersson Hed 70 69 71, Robert-Jan Derksen 68 72 70, Jamie Donaldson 71 69 70, Simon Nash (Australia) 70 69 71, Alexander Noren 72 66 72 -5: Peter Baker 67 72 72, Gary Murphy 74 67 70, David Park 71 68 72 -4: Fran ois Delamontagne 74 68 70, Stuart Little 71 69 72, Francesco Molinari 75 70 67, Andrew Tampion (Australia) 74 68 70 Also -1: Wade Ormsby (Australia) 76 67 72 +7: David Bransdon (Australia) 72 73 78
Author: PA Sport