SANYA, China -- European Tour leader David Howell carded a 6-under-par 66 on Saturday to hold on to a one-stroke lead after the third round of the TCL Classic at Hainan, China.

Howell stayed steady all day at the Yalong Bay Golf Club on China's resort island, draining an eagle on the par-5 13th and collecting four birdies against no bogeys to end the day at 23-under 193.

The effort kept him one shot ahead of Australia's Andrew Buckle, who fired a 7-under-par 65 to finish at 194. Howell was eight shots ahead of defending champion Paul Casey, who shot a 68 to close at 201.

"It was a little hard work to be honest," said Howell, who won the Champions Tournament in Shanghai over Tiger Woods in his last China appearance in November.

"Andrew played fantastically well and put the pressure on me. He wasn't going to let up," Howell said.

Sweden's Johan Edfors was in third place at 195 after carding a 63. Englands Nick Dougherty was one stroke further back after a bracing round of 64 with India's Jeev Milkha Singh in fifth place after a round of 66.

American Edward Loar, the joint-leader after the first round, stayed in the hunt in sixth place after a 4-under-par 68. Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng and Swede Joakim Haeggman matched Loar's score to hold at joint-seventh.

Further down in the pack, Jamie Donaldson of Wales notched a brace of eagles on the seventh and 13th holes to card a round of 3-under-par 69, ending at 11-under 205.

The $1 million tournament is co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

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