Nacho Elvira will take a one-stroke lead into the weekend at the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa after eagling the final hole to cap a six under par round of 65.

The Spaniard started the day three strokes off the lead and fell further behind after a bogey on the fourth hole. But the 36-year-old, whose sole DP World Tour victory came at the 2021 Cazoo Open, recovered with two birdies before the turn on the seventh and eighth holes.

He carded his third birdie of the day on the tenth and then recorded five success pars before finishing birdie-birdie-eagle to card a ten under par total, sitting one stroke ahead of a trio of golfers on nine under.

Elvira commented “Every time you’re leading it’s the best position to be in. I feel like I’ve been playing good, even at the beginning of the year when I was missing cuts but I felt like the game was still there. Maybe a couple more putts dropped the last few days and that makes it a good score.”

Sharing second place are Germany’s Nick Bachem, South African Jayden Schaper and Ryo Hisatsune of Japan. Hisatsune carded the lowest round of the day at Muthaiga Golf Club as he signed for an eight under par 63.

Three-time DP World Tour winner John Catlin shares fifth place with Masahiro Kawamura of Japan and Spain’s Borja Virto.

Leading the home charge is Mutahi Kibugu, the only Kenyan golfer to make the cut in this year’s event. The 21-year-old follows in the footsteps of his younger brother Njoroge, who made the cut last year.

Kibugu delighted the home crowds with a birdie on the 18th as he signed for a level par round of 71, sitting in a share of 36th place on three under.

“It feels amazing. Especially to hole that putt on the last, in front of my family, friends, everyone. I’m still excited." said Kibugu.

“Now I’ve calmed down a bit. I had a bit of pressure on the last two holes, but I knew if I kept in my game I could probably get one birdie and I would be alright. I saw the cut was projected minus one, so I knew I was fine. I wasn’t going to make a bogey on the last there."