Golf: Fernandez-Castano's blip on last costs Spaniard dearly in Majorca

GONZALO Fernandez-Castano of Spain three-putted the last to fall back into a tie with Swede Pelle Edberg at Pula in Majorca yesterday.

Four times a winner on the European Tour but never on home soil, the 29-year-old from Madrid kept a bogey off his card in the tricky conditions until he came to the par-three 18th.

But then the shaky putting which has haunted him since his last victory – a play-off success over Lee Westwood in the 2008 British Masters at The Belfry – returned.

Fernandez-Castano was round in a two-under-par 68 as a result and with a day to go in the Iberdrola Open Cala Millor Mallorca, stands four under alongside Edberg.

Joint halfway leader with James Kingston, Edberg followed up his stunning second-round 64 with a 71, mixing four birdies with five bogeys.

But that was better than Kingston managed. The South African did not have a single birdie and bogeys on the third, 10th, 12th and 14th meant a 74 and a drop to a tie for sixth place.

Australian Scott Hend had a best-of-the-day 66 to improve from ninth to third and will resume only a shot off the pace.

One further back are Edberg's fellow countryman Peter Hanson and Spaniard Alejandro Canizares, while Bristol's Chris Wood is alongside Kingston and Dane Mark Haastrup.

Putts of nine and 20 feet on the sixth and difficult eighth took Fernandez-Castano to the turn in 33.

His other birdie came on the 16th, although his drive was actually down an adjoining fairway, thanks to an eight-footer and he almost chipped in for another at the next.

Edberg, currently without a Tour card after failing to come through the qualifying school last November, got off to a rocky start with three bogeys in the first five holes.

The 31-year-old came back with birdies at the sixth, seventh and 12th, but could not salvage his par on the short 13th and three-putted for another bogey two holes later.

Wood, having produced a brilliant birdie on the 17th, missed a three-footer for another at the last and had to settle for a 68.