Nino Bertasio is looking forward to going out in the final group at the KLM Open on Sunday as he searches for a first European Tour title.
The Italian came into day three a shot behind the leader and produced some wonderful golf at The Dutch, putting an approach to 12 feet for an eagle on the sixth and holing a 30-footer on the tenth to help him open up a two-shot lead as he stood on the final tee.
A double-bogey after finding both water and sand coupled with a Scott Hend birdie on the par five meant Bertasio will once again start a shot behind the leader in round four, but the Qualifying School Graduate is excited to be right in the mix.
"It was another good solid day," he said. "I played very well again and made a couple of monster putts today which was a surprise because they all seemed to be close range yesterday.
We will see what happens tomorrow. I am really looking forward to it - Nino Bertasio
"I have been surprised how calm I have been out there and how much I have enjoyed this week. I just love the golf course and have been loving it out there.
"We will see what happens tomorrow. I am really looking forward to it. I know I will be playing with Scott which is great because we played together at the Olympics which was an amazing experience. We will have a good time out there tomorrow as well."
Home favourite Joost Luiten fired a 69 - extending his bogey-free run to 51 holes before he three-putted the 16th - and will head into the last round three shots behind Hend.
The 2013 champion has been attracting bumper crowds in Spijk and is hoping for another big turnout at an event that has been on the European Tour schedule every year since the Tour was founded in 1972.
"It could have been a little better than two under but overall I have to be pretty happy with it," he said. "I left one out there with the three-putt on 16 and the putter wasn't as good as yesterday when I managed to hole a couple of long ones. But that is golf - some days they go in and the next they won't so I am happy with two under.
"It was tricky today to get close to the pins, but anything under par is good round here and I am in a pretty good position for the weekend.
"The birdie at the last is always nice - it was great to finish like that on a positive.
"This has been the busiest I have ever seen at a KLM Open and the crowds have been amazing. It's only Saturday today so hopefully we can have even more here tomorrow and I can get a low round going and try and win this title again because that is what I came here to do."
