Spaniard Carlos Del Moral has fired a stunning 9-under 63 to take control of the Madeira Islands Open.
Carlos Del Moral - three clear in Madeira
In knocking two shots off his previous best-ever round on the European Tour, 26-year-old from Valencia was able to charge from five behind to three in front heading into Sunday's final round
Del Moral, ranked 397th in the world and with a best Tour finish of 5th to date has taken his total to 17-under par and leads Joakim Lagergren, who is at 14-under after shooting a third round 70.
Halfway leader Oliver Wilson, is a further shot back at 13-under in a four-way tie with Swedes Mikael Lundberg and Magnus Carlsson and Portugal's Ricardo Santos.
Moving Saturday was surely a day to forget for English Ryder Cup cap Wilson, who, after seeing his game fall away so badly last season that he had to go back to Tour School, was hoping to shrug away nine runner-up finishes with a victory this weekend.
Wilson could only manage a level-par 72 and slipped four shots off the pace.
He is not quite out of it just yet, but he is going to have to produce some high quality golf in the final round to stop De Moral steaming home in front.
Del Moral blazed into the lead with six birdies in an outward 30, finished with three more birdies and marched clear of the field with the kind of golf that will make him unstoppable if he can keep the momentum going.
Meanwhile Wilson, who did not have a single bogey in either of his opening rounds of 66 and 65, stumbled somewhat on Saturday when he could only match three bogies with three birdies.
Del Moral, who needed only 22 putts in his notable round, was over the moon afterwards.
"It was incredible!" he told the media.
"I putted beautifully and it gives me a lot of confidence. For nine holes in a row - the entire front nine - I needed only one putt! And even the ones that I missed were ever so close to going in.
"It was tough mentally on the back nine. I have been working on my swing for a while and this is the first time I've been up there in a tournament with it is as it is now and it felt like it was in place.
"Last week at the Spanish Open I played well, but didn't putt well.
"I'm very excited about tomorrow. I've been up there before a few times and didn't perform as well as I'd hoped, but I'm a much more mature player now and I am looking forward to it."
Tour rookie Lagergren said: "I was a little nervous on the first tee, but that soon went away. My putter was ice cold and I missed a few short ones.
"I'll have to go on the hunt tomorrow. I've shot 66 the first two rounds, so I know there are low scores out there.
"Carlos is three ahead but that's not a lot in a final round, so I've just got to concentrate on playing well and hopefully I can catch him."
golf365.com