FUERTEVENTURA, Canary Islands — Britain’s David Park maintained his lead in the Canaries Spanish Open third round yesterday but Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez moved to within a shot as he bids for back-to-back victories.

Park’s one-over-par 71 left him at 10-under 200 but Gonzalez, whose 64 was just a stroke off the Fuerteventura Club course record, is hot on his heels as he seeks to follow up on last week’s Seville Open success.

Sweden’s Peter Hedblom (68) and Christian Cevaer of France (69), Park’s playing partners, were a further stroke back in a tie for third.

The 29-year-old Park, who opened with scores of 64 and 65, is trying to end a lengthy slump after clinching his maiden European Tour title in only his second start at the 1999 European Grand Prix.

The Welshman, four clear overnight, stumbled early in his round by double-bogeying the short seventh, where his ball found the lake, but recovered his composure to stay ahead of the chasing pack.

“I’ve tried to play my best every week, but a win, I suppose, would end a long wait,” agreed Park.

“Today I played about as well as my first two rounds but I just didn’t hole many putts.”

Gonzalez said: “My best friend was my putter today” but he also demonstrated the power that has made him one of the tour’s longest drivers as he collected two eagles.

He drove just 40 yards short of the 401-yard par-four sixth and chipped in for a two, and needed only a seven-iron approach to 30 feet at the par-five 17th where he finished with a three.

The 34-year-old from Rosario, coincidentally also the capital of Fuerteventura, is aiming to complete a Spanish hat trick, having also won last year’s Madrid Open.

“I’m enjoying Spain so much that I’m thinking of changing my passport,” joked Gonzalez.

“Winning again is very important because it will put me in great shape for our World Cup team, and representing Argentina in Seville is my top goal this year.”

Last week’s success lifted Gonzalez to 69th in the world rankings and he is already fancied to make Argentina’s two-man team in November at the scene of last week’s victory, with Eduardo Romero currently lying 79th and Angel Cabrera 94th.

Cevaer and Hedblom are trying to win after needing medical exemptions in 2003, the Frenchman after breaking his elbow in a snowboarding accident and the Swede after breaking a leg in an ice-hockey spill.

Johnson Shares Houston

Lead With Stricker, Lowery

In Houston, Zach Johnson, winner of his first PGA Tour title earlier this month, shot a four-under-par 68 to share the lead with Steve Stricker and Steve Lowery in a rain-affected second round of the Houston Open on Friday.

Tour rookie Johnson, who took the BellSouth Classic at the TPC at Sugarloaf, joined his fellow Americans on five-under 139. World No. 2 Vijay Singh carded the best round of the day, a six-under 66, to vault into a tie for fourth just one stroke off the lead. Paul Azinger and Patrick Sheehan joined Singh on 140.

Thunderstorms halted play at the Redstone Golf Club late on Friday afternoon. Play did resume but 36 players remained on the course when darkness fell.

Former British Open champion Justin Leonard heads a group of six players tied for ninth on 141. Also on that mark are Dudley Hart, Chris Riley, Mark Calcavecchia, Scott Hoch and David Peoples.

Stricker last won on the PGA Tour in 2001 when he defeated Sweden’s Pierre Fulke in the World Match Play Championship in Australia. Since then he has had only five top-10 finishes and none since a tie for sixth in the 2002 Byron Nelson Classic.

“It’s been a struggle for me the last couple of years, and I’m lacking in confidence, which is starting to come back a little bit,” Stricker said.

“I’m starting to shoot some better rounds, but I feel like I need to take baby steps. I’m just not driving it or feeling good about driving it yet or any part of my game.”

First-round leader Rod Pampling of Australia suffered in the windy afternoon conditions, carding a seven-over 79 to drop down to a tie for 48th place.