Seville - AFP
Gregory Bourdy\'s dreams of victory in the Spanish Open ended in dramatic fashion as Simon Dyson moved top of the leaderboard with a one-shot lead after the third round on Saturday. Bourdy had upset predictions to take a one-shot lead at the halfway stage but on a day hit by strong winds and a two-hour delay because of flooding the Frenchman failed to break 80. He tumbled down the standings to a share of 21st place, eight shots behind Dyson. The Englishman, who trailed by a shot overnight, now leads Dane Soren Kjeldsen and Pablo Larrazabal by a shot but could have secured a more comfortable lead had it not been for a double bogey at the last, which gave him a one-under-par 71. The reigning Irish Open champion was in the back bunker for two, failed to get out, and then took three more. \"It leaves a little sour taste. I played 17 and a half great holes,\" said Dyson. \"The second shot was lovely, but just went 15 yards further than I thought it would and then I quit on the bunker shot -- no excuses. \"I could be out of sight to be honest. I\'ve chucked some shots away, but everybody is going to say that.\" Victory could take the 34-year-old Dyson into a Ryder Cup qualifying position. Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Justin Rose are already high up in the points race, while Ian Poulter and Paul Casey are also hoping to be in Chicago and Robert Rock is challenging as well. Larrazabal, joint third at El Prat last May, shot a 69 to take over as the leading home hope in an event celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The former Open de France winner, who beat Sergio Garcia in a play-off for the BMW International Open in Munich last season, had four birdies in six holes around the turn, but dropped a shot at the last. \"Only one bogey -- it\'s a great round,\" said Larrazabal. \"I like it when the course is challenging. I don\'t like it when the winner is 25 under.\" Kjeldsen, who went round in 71, won the Andalucian Open on this course three years ago, but that was the 36-year-old\'s last European Tour success.