Local favourite Angel Cabrera remained on track to claim the Argentine Open and his first win on the European Tour after the third round.

Argentina's Cabrera shot a round of 69 to share the leadl with Sweden's Carl Pettersson at the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires.

The pair were on nine-under par with Spain's Tomas Jesus Munoz a shot further back.

Cabrera dropped two shots in the first six holes but a birdie at the ninth calmed the nerves and two more on the inward nine kept him on course for a long overdue maiden victory.

"Today was very difficult and I had to work a lot," said the 31-year-old former caddie.

Pettersson is playing his first season on the tour after turning professional following his victory in the European Amateur Championship.

Constantino Rocca had set the early clubhouse target with a 65 that revived memories of his glory years on the European Tour.

He was on seven-under with two other players - England's Graeme Storm Aand rgentina's Ricardo Gonzalez.

Defending champion Argentinian Vicente Fernandez shot a brilliant 65 to be five shots behind the leaders.

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Leading third round scores:

201 C Pettersson (Swe) 65 69 67, A Cabrera (Arg) 67 65 69
202 TJ Munoz (Spa) 69 66 67
203 C Rocca (Ita) 71 67 65, R Gonzalez (Arg) 70 64 69, G Storm 68 66 69
204 J Berendt (Arg) 70 65 69
205 M Molina (Arg) 70 69 66, D Lee 72 66 67, H Otto (Rsa) 70 67 68, E Romero (Arg) 70 66 69
206 V Fernandez (Arg) 69 72 65, J Zapata (Arg) 69 69 68, A Wall 68 70 68, M Mouland 69 68 69, H Bjornstad (Nor) 70 70 66, O Karlsson (Swe) 65 69 72
207 D Bishop (USA) 67 71 69, (x) M Anselmo (Arg) 73 64 70, S Hurley 73 64 70, J Skold (Swe) 73 68 66, JM Lara (Spa) 65 71 71, A Franco (Par) 64 72 71, M Blackey 66 70 71, E Simsek (Ger) 65 71 71
208 R Jacquelin (Fra) 72 71 65, G Clark 69 69 70, P Eales 69 69 70, H Carbonetti (Arg) 71 67 70, A Raitt 70 68 70, C Hanell (Swe) 70 69 69
209 R Alvarez (Arg) 71 72 66, T Levet (Fra) 69 70 70, M Florioli (Ita) 71 68 70, F Cea (Spa) 69 70 70, S Scahill (Nzl) 69 67 73, R Johnson (Swe) 65 71 73
210 T Gogele (Ger) 75 68 67, N Henning (Rsa) 70 69 71, M Lundberg (Swe) 66 72 72, A Canete (Arg) 73 65 72, D Fichardt (Rsa) 68 72 70, J Wade (Aus) 73 67 70, M Jonzon (Swe) 72 67 71