At 63rd in the world rankings, Manassero still has a chance to climb into the top 50 should he win Taylormade R9 Max Irons

 here this week, which would see him make the shortlist for automatic Masters qualification.

It won't be his first appearance at Augusta, however - he qualified to playTaylormade R9 Max Irons

 there in 2010 as the British amateur champion and finished a more than respectable 36th.

Manassero's round was threatened by a bogey at the seventh, his 16th, but he showed his class by hitting back with two more birdies at the eighth and ninth - sinking an 18-footer on the former and pitching to seven feet on the latter.

Fasth, a member of Europe's winning Ryder Cup side at The Belfry ten years ago, has struggled with his form in recent years and needed to fall back on his career earnings in order to keep hisTaylormade R9 Max Irons

 last year after falling to 132nd on the money list.

The Swede eagled the long 16th and mixed six more birdies with three bogeys.

Six more players are tied for seventh on four under, one shot behind the chasing pack - Swede Joakim Lagergren, England's Tommy Fleetwood, France's Julien Quesne, Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, South African Alex Haindl and Canadian Mike Weir, who has returned to Spain, scene of one of his most memorable victories at the 2000 American Express Championship, in an effort to rekindle his career following elbow surgery.

Abu Dhabi winner Robert Rock and tournament host Miguel Angel Jimenez were among a large group on three under, five shots off the lead.