Spain's Mario Galiano showed why he's the world No 8 when he fired the best score of the day by six clear shots — an eight under 64 — to storm into a nine-stroke lead with a round to play in the Copa de Baleares in Mallorca.

Conditions were so tough and the course at Pula Golf was playing so long that only three other players broke par and nobody bar Galiano dipped under 70. But with The Island's Kevin LeBlanc looking on — the young Dubliner carded a 77 — Galiano moved through the gears in impressive fashion.

Scores

The Spanish international, who believes he's ready for a crack at the professional tours soon, leads by nine strokes on 11 under par 133 from Matyas Zapleta (70) with Iván Cantero (71) third on level par 144 in an event reduced to 54 holes because of flooding on Thursday.

LeBlanc is tied for fourth on two over 146 with Gonzalo García (75) and Joseph Lamb (74).

France based Tommy O'Driscoll made the 159 cut for the top 50 and ties with ease, carding a second successive 78 to share 37th spot on 155.

Warrenpoint's Jamie Fletcher, playing his first event since the Spanish Boys Championship last year, carded rounds of 82 and 85 to miss the cut.