Home favourite Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Denmark’s Thomas Bjørn will go head-to-head in Sunday’s final group at the Staysure Marbella Legends after both reached eight-under-par through 36 holes at Aloha Golf Club in Spain.

The experienced Ryder Cup duo sit two shots clear of Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman, who occupies solo third at six-under-par, with a tightly-packed chasing group at five-under that includes Johan Edfors, Bo Van Pelt, Jamie Donaldson, Carl Suneson, Stephen Gallacher and Gary Orr.

Jiménez followed his opening 66 with a steady two-under-par 70 to remain at the summit on home soil. The 21-time DP World Tour winner battled through a testing back nine, responding strongly to setbacks and finishing with momentum to delight the local crowds.

“I was very satisfied with my round today,” said Jiménez. “To be top of the leaderboard and in the final group is very nice. I played solid apart from one hole, but I recovered well on the back nine and managed to finish at eight-under.”

The Spaniard, who is a member at Aloha and lives nearby, admitted the occasion would carry extra emotion should he lift the trophy on Sunday.

“It would be amazing to win,” he added. “I’m a member here. All my family and friends are around. It would be very special.”

Bjørn, Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup captain in 2018, produced a composed second-round 68 to join Jiménez at the top of the leaderboard. After racing to three-under early in his round, the Dane weathered a mid-round wobble before regaining control with a superb bunker shot at the 10th that proved pivotal.

“It was a weird round of golf today,” admitted Bjørn. “I got off to a nice start, three-under after five, then made a few bogeys around seven, eight and nine. I holed a nice bunker shot on 10 to get me back on track and then it was a nice cruise from there.”

Sunday’s final pairing adds an extra layer of intrigue, with the two Ryder Cup stalwarts being close friends off the course.

“We spend a lot of time together. We’re great friends – we spent my birthday together on Wednesday night. Now we’ve got to go and play golf against each other. That’s how this game is.”

2014 Ryder Cup player Jamie Donaldson remains firmly in contention for a second Staysure Legends Tour title after a composed second-round performance that kept him within striking distance of the leaders.

Patience was key,” said the Welshman, who won at La Manga on his last visit to Spain at the back end of last year. “It was good to make a few birdies coming in. I made bogey on the last – I was in between clubs off the tee – but overall it was pretty good. You want to be thereabouts tomorrow and then you never know.”

Spain’s Carl Suneson, a former Spanish Open champion, produced the lowest round of the day, a superb five-under-par 67, to move into the group at five-under and firmly into contention heading into the final round.

With his family on site this week, Suneson is embracing the opportunity – and is clear about his intentions.

“I’m going to try to win. There’s no other way for me. I’ve got a bad ranking, so I’m going to go for it and enjoy it.”

Elsewhere, eight-time European No.1 Colin Montgomerie fired a 69 to move into the top 15 at three-under-par, while two-time Masters Champion José María Olazábal added a 70 to sit at two-under heading into the final round.

Qualifying School graduate Anthony Grenier continues to impress on debut, the Frenchman carding a 71 to reach four-under-par and remain inside the top 10, alongside 2025 Order of Merit winner Scott Hend and Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg.

With a home favourite and a Ryder Cup captain locked together at the top, and proven winners lurking just a few shots back, the stage is set for a compelling final round in Marbella.

The tournament concludes on Sunday at Aloha Golf Club – with free entry for spectators. The Staysure Marbella Legends is part of the Legends Tour’s global schedule, featuring 18 tournaments, three Majors and more than €20million in prize money during the 2026 season.

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