Late eagle gives Spanish young gun Larrazabal the lead at Avantha Masters

Pablo Larrazabal held the clubhouse lead at the end of the third day of the Avantha Masters DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi.

While fog continued to dog the tournament with another 90 minutes' play lost yesterday morning, Larrazabal fired a six-under-par 66 to take the third-round clubhouse lead.

Spaniard Larrazabal fired four birdies in five holes before dropping a shot at the 12th but he regained the shot at the 14th and finished with a flourish as he reached 11 under par in the Indian capital thanks to an eagle at the par-five last.

England's Robert Coles was also 11 under with two holes of his third round remaining as a result of the fog.

Larrazabal said: "I have been working very hard on all the aspects of the game that you need these days to succeed - not just the golf but you have to be physically and mentally fit and I have been working hard on all of it.

"I have been seeing the results - I finished 11th in Abu Dhabi and that was good for the confidence.

"But now that I am in this position with a great chance to win going into the final round, tomorrow will be a big test to show me exactly where I am because it will be a tough day with a lot of pressure.

"I hope that the work that I have done over the winter is going to really show up tomorrow."

Coles also enjoyed an eagle when he managed to drive the par-four 15th and said: "This is why you play the game - to get into contention to win tournaments.

"I'll have all the emotions going tomorrow - nerves, excitement, everything, and I just hope that I can give a good account of myself and play well because I have a great chance to win."

Home hopes are led by SSP Chowrasia and Sujjan Singh, who are on ten under alongside Argentina's Rafa Echenique.

Jeev Milkha Singh, the leader after 36 holes, is nine under with five to play, along with US Open Championship runner-up Gregory Havret, first-round leader Robert-Jan Derksen, Thai pair Chapchai Nirat and Thaworn Wiratchant and Filipino Angelo Que.

Eight groups were unable to complete their third rounds, and they were due to resume at 8am local time today. There will be no redraw for the fourth round, which was due to start at 8.25am.

n A second-round 66 gave Fred Couples a two-shot lead at the Northern Trust Open in California. The 51-year-old American eagled the first and picked up three birdies to lie eight under par at the halfway stage at Pacific Palisades. Fellow countryman JB Holmes and Australia's John Senden were in the clubhouse on six under.