Amateur shares Challenge lead

Denmark's Andreas Hartø stands on the brink of becoming the first amateur to win on the European Challenge Tour since 2004 - and only the fourth in history - at the ECCT Tour Championship in Germany.

The 22-year-old student from Copenhagen, who received an invite into the tournament, fired a third-round 70 for a nine under par total of 210 to share the 54-hole lead with Sweden's Oscar Floren and Stuart Manley of Wales.

Now Hart, who is studying communications at Lamar University in Texas, can follow in the footsteps of Finland's Roope Kakko, who was the last amateur to triumph at the Finnish Open six years ago.

Hart looked up at the leaderboard in awe after his outstanding performance at Green Eagle Golf Club and admitted: "I never saw this coming! It's ridiculous. It is a special moment to be sharing the lead in a professional tournament with one round to go and I am going to enjoy it."

He added: "I was due to return to the States this week to play in an event in Seattle but opted to come to Germany when I knew I was in the field."

The biggest mover of the day was Spaniard Alvaro Velasco, whose five-under-par 68 carried him into outright fourth place thanks to a sprinkling of seven birdies on his card, spoiled only by the blot of a double-bogey six at the 13th.