Bumpy greens made life tough for the entire field, but Olazabal, one behind with two holes to play, managed to sink an eight-footer for birdie at the 17th and then saw Broadhurst three-putt the last.

“It was a big swing,” said the Englishman, who in April ended 10 years without a victory at the Portuguese Open.

“Going down the 16th I thought there was a chance to go two or three clear. The greens are not so good, but that’s no excuse. It’s the same for everybody and I putted badly all day.”

After a 72 he is on five under with Hansen, who charged up from 21st with a 66, while Olazabal’s level-par 70 kept him at six under.

The double Masters champion is in the process of re-designing the Pula course and commented: “I said all this week that the greens were not in good shape.

“Some have a different speed to others. I don’t know if it has to do with the rain they had, but I am pretty sure they (the course owners) will take good notice and get them in better shape.”

Defending champion Garcia was another to suffer as he dropped from 10th to 16th. At the last he went to smash his ball off the green after missing a three-foot par putt, but just managed to restrain himself in time.

It summed up the frustration he felt after missing chance after chance in a 71 which leaves him with five shots to make up.

“I don’t even want to think about how many under par I could be,” he said. “It’s frustrating, but these greens have got to my head.

“Maybe next year or in two years this course is going to be awesome, but they’re so bumpy at the moment. Some putts you look down and you don’t know how to make it. There’s a hump going this way and then another going the other way.

“It takes so much confidence out of you. I’ve been putting better lately, but I’ve lost it again this week.

“Believe it or not I still have a chance, but it would be impossible for me to shoot any higher than I have so far.”