Open de Espana R3: Marco Penge storms clear in Madrid

England's Marco Penge will take a comfortable lead into the final round of the Open de Espana. 

Penge held a one-shot 36-hole lead at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid and extended it to four on Saturday afternoon. 

A third-round 7-under 64 - which contained only one dropped shot - lifted the 27-year-old to 16-under par, four clear of Switzerland's Joel Girrbach. 

Penge told Sky Sports after his round:  "I was just trying to go as low as I could.

"I've learnt in the past that when you're leading, you can't just… not play steady, that's not the right word, but you've got to be going forward because everyone else will catch you up.

"It was nice to prove to myself that I can do it."

Penge's round also included an otherworldly par save at his second hole of the day. 

His tee shot came to rest at the stump of a tree, but he still managed to save a four despite snapping his pitching wedge in two. 

"My ball was just behind the tree, I didn't really have a follow-through - I knew it was going to break," said. 

"I kind of picked a club I didn't think I was going to need the rest of the way, just made sure not to hit my hand on the tree and... yeah, poor pitching wedge."

Should Penge - who is likely headed to the PGA Tour next season - end up securing victory, then it would represent his third win of the campaign. 

Penge also won the Hainan Classic and the Danish Golf Championship. 

He added: "Whatever the outcome is, it's going to be a great experience, great memories for me.

"I just love playing golf, I love competing, I love playing in front of big crowds like we have here. I love to challenge myself, whether that's good or bad.

"So tomorrow's just another day for me, tomorrow doesn't define anything, it's just another day, an 18-hole round of golf. 

"Whatever happens, happens, it's not the end of the world, I've still got my family at home and all that stuff so I'm lucky."

Penge is likely to face charges from LIV Golf recruits Patrick Reed and Tom McKibbin. 

England's Dan Brown is also inside the top-10. 

Elsewhere, home favourite Jon Rahm is 28th on 4-under. 

His European Ryder Cup teammate, Shane Lowry, missed the cut.