Rafa Echenique leads in France as Colin Montgomerie looks towards Open

Argentine golfer Rafa Echenique lost his magic on Saturday, but held on to his lead in the French Open Alstom at Le Golf National, near Paris.

However, a third round of 70, combined with his excellent earlier rounds of 65 and 67, means the 28-year-old still has a lot of work if he is to claim his first European Tour title – one that is worth £565,025.

Echenique, second in Munich last week after an albatross two on the final hole, sits 11 under par with one round remaining on Albatross course.

He needed a closing birdie to reclaim the lead from Martin Kaymer, the German whose opening, course-record-equalling 62 on Thursday had given him a three-stroke advantage. Kaymer, who grabbed birdies at the sixth, seventh and 17th, is looking for his third Tour triumph.

Echenique had mixed two birdies with two bogeys on the front nine, started the inward half with eight successive pars and then produced a glorious iron to seven feet on the 470-yard 18th. "That last birdie was very good because the putter just didn't work for me today," he said.

"When you're playing in the last group in these conditions you are always going to be a little nervous, but after the first three holes I realised I should calm down and try to play my game. This is one of the biggest and best events on the European Tour. I believe that I can do it."

England's Paul Waring, another seeking his maiden win on the circuit, is in third place only two behind after a third-round 68.

Thanks to four birdies in the last five holes, former amateur team-mate Seve Benson – named after Spain's Ballesteros – matched that score of 68 to lie fourth alongside the Australian left-hander Richard Green and Sweden's Peter Hanson. Waring and Benson are battling not just for the title, but also the one Open spot up for grabs this week.

Lee Westwood is four shots behind after a 70 that sent him straight to the practice putting green, but much happier with their games were Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie.

Poulter, who will be at the Open the week after next trying to go one better than last year, fired a 66 to improve his position from 31st to 10th. Montgomerie, runner-up at this event last year and without a top-10 finish since then, charged from joint 62nd to 11th with a round of 65 – the day's best. At five and six behind, respectively, Poulter and Montgomerie are not completely out of it yet.

The two have vivid memories of Turnberry. The last time the Open was played on the Ayrshire links was 1994: Poulter remembers it as the year he left the amateur ranks with a four handicap and worked as an assistant at the Jack O'Legs club in Hitchin. "The Open would have been on TV and I'd have been dusting and polishing the pro shop, thinking, 'Get me out of here. Surely this tin of [polish] is going to run out sooner or later'."

Montgomerie first went to Turnberry to apply for a job with International Management Group, but, while there, went on the course, shot a back-nine 29 and, instead opted to turn professional.

"If I'd shot 39, who knows?" said Montgomeries, who went on to win eight Order of Merits and is now, of course, Ryder Cup captain.