Jean Hugo shot a four-under-par 68 on Saturday to be one stroke off the lead heading into the final round of the Portugal Legends Championship with a 36-hole total of 12-under-par.

The 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie followed up Friday’s opening 66 with another brilliant 18 holes, going bogey-free to reach 11-under-par and claim the outright lead as he seeks a first Staysure Legends Tour title since 2022.

If he is to win, the Scot will need to hold off some of the Tour’s form players, with Jean Hugo and Johan Edfors – both winners this season – just a shot back at 10-under-par. Three players sit at eight-under: Mikael Lundberg, who won the Staysure English Legends in August, Keith Horne and former BMW PGA champion Simon Khan. English duo Robert Coles and Greg Owen were at seven-under.

Ahead of a final-round shoot-out with Hugo, Edfors and the chasing pack, Lawrie was typically level-headed about his game-plan for Sunday. “Nothing changes, really,” he added. “You’re back to square one, back to level. You’re trying to shoot as many birdies as you can, play the course properly and not be silly, and not take on things you don’t need to. I’ve kept the ball in play really well the first two days. If I can keep doing what I’m doing, hopefully I can post a number that’s good enough.”

For Jean Hugo, who will complete the final three-ball on Sunday, battling it out with Edfors and Lawrie in particular will be a full-circle moment. The South African’s first professional event was the 1999 Open at Carnoustie, won in memorable fashion on home soil by Lawrie, and will be relishing the chance to go head-to-head with the Scot for the title after a solid 68.