Casey Jarvis took advantage of some good fortune to open up a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan, while Tom McKibbin is seven off the summit.
McKibbin had been three shots off the lead going into Saturday's round but a one-over 71 prevented the Antrim native from building on that, although he appeared to be on track to do so when he birdied his first three holes.
However, bogeys on five and six and then further consecutive dropped shots on 11 and 12 left him off the pace and he finds himself six under overall as a result in a tie for 30th.
Meanwhile, South African Jarvis, looking for a maiden DP World Tour win in his rookie season, made four birdies on the front nine to get into a share of the lead after turning in 31 but enjoyed a huge stroke of luck on the 11th after his wayward tee-shot bounced out of the trees allowing him to save par.
LEADERBOARD
He went right again off the 14th tee but again bounced out onto the cartpath, this time making the most of a drop to put an approach to tap-in range and lead on his own.
A closing birdie handed him a bogey-free 64 and a two-shot lead at 13 under before German Yannik Paul also took advantage of the par-five last to cut the gap to one with a 68.
"It would mean the world to win," said Jarvis.
"I've worked pretty hard for this so I'll just go out tomorrow and stay patient and play every hole as it comes.
"It played pretty tricky, I don't find it very easy to get near these flags so I kind of played smart and just managed my game well around the course.
"I've been putting well this week so I made a few good par putts. My goal at the start of the day was to go bogey-free, I did it yesterday and again today which doesn't happen very often with me - I'm pleased about that."
There was a group of five players two shots off the lead, one ahead of England's Matthew Southgate who signed for a 68.
Englishman Sam Bairstow had shared the lead after 36 holes but carded a third-round 71 to slip to nine under alongside countryman Will Enefer.
Additional reporting: PA
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