CORK’S JOHN MURPHY can set his sights on challenging for a top-20 finish at the Spanish Open on Sunday.

The Kinsale golfer — fresh from finishing ninth at the Alfred Dunhill Links — shot a two-under par third round of 69 in Madrid.

That leaves him on eight-under par in a share of 36th place, but just two shots outside the top 20 overnight on a tightly packed leaderboard.

Home hope Rafael Cabrera-Bello will take a two-shot lead into the final round after firing a seven-under-par 64, as world number one Jon Rahm slipped six strokes off the pace.

Cabrera-Bello, who has fallen to 231st in the world rankings after a torrid run of form, carded a bogey-free round to give himself an excellent chance of a fourth European Tour title.

Cabrera-Bello moved to 17-under for the tournament, two shots clear of Adri Arnaus and Frenchman Julien Guerrier in second.

“It would be amazing (to win),” Cabrera-Bello told europeantour.com. “I’ve won every Spanish amateur title there is and I’m missing this one which would be the pinnacle of Spanish golf.

“I’m going to have a very good chance at it tomorrow but I’m sure there’ll be more chances in the future too so I’ll just go out there, have fun, feed off the crowd and try to put on a show for them again.

“Today was one of my favourite days ever out there, in front of my countrymen, playing on a course that I love and with beautiful conditions, I felt really good.”

Rahm is in a tie for ninth on 11-under after he shot a one-over 72 despite a birdie on the 18th hole.

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