Australian Scott Strange,

Australian Scott Strange, a complete stranger to the vast majority of golf fans in Europe, remains in control of the Wales Open with a day to go at Celtic Manor.

Strange, whose best Tour finish on European soil before this week was 10th, has led since an opening 63 and after being four clear at halfway is now three ahead after a third-round 69.

Rookie Spaniard Alvaro Velasco, no household name himself at world number 305, lies second on 12 under following a 68, while a stroke further back are Indian Jeev Milkha Singh, Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin and in-form Swede Robert Karlsson.

England's Nick Dougherty believes he is back on course to earn a Ryder Cup debut in September after he returned a 67 to move up to 10 under and joint sixth place. While a third Tour victory is still a tall order he is delighted with how he is playing just a month after the death of his mother.

"I feel a lot better after these three days," he said.

"Things have been going on off the course with the loss in our family, but I'm optimistic again.

"I was starting to get worried about the state of my game, but I played awesome today and it's so long since I played that freely."

Part of the possible reason for that, the 26-year-old from Liverpool believes, was a decision not to look at leaderboards, but he hopes there will be a stage late on in the final round when there is a need to know.

Dougherty will be at the US Open the week after next and looking for at least a repeat of last year when he led after the opening day, coped well when paired with Tiger Woods in the third round and finished seventh.

Exempt for Torrey Pines because of that, he admits he is surprised by more than 20 players pulling out of Monday's qualifier at Walton Heath.

"Everybody has their own plans, but I've always wanted to play in a major and I remember the feeling of euphoria when I got through there for my first major."

Darren Clarke is among those who has decided not to try to qualify, preferring to stay in Europe as he too bids for a Ryder Cup spot.

The Ulsterman also shot 67 to be on eight under, but Colin Montgomerie is still struggling to find his best form and a 73 dropped him from 18th to 46th and out of it at three under.

Strange, 164th on the world rankings, did what he had to do, picking off birdies at three of the par fives and hitting back from a bogey on the short third with a superb approach to four feet at the 461-yard next.

Another dropped shot at the driveable par-four 15th gave the chasing pack more hope, though, as will the fact that he covered the last seven holes in one over when presented with a chance to put one hand on the trophy.

Karlsson, the 2006 champion, has finished third in each of the last three tournaments, but will be desperately keen to do better than that after three-putting the final green from three feet in the BMW PGA Championship last Sunday when a birdie would have put him in a play-off.