It was all set up for an epic finale at the Benahavis Senior Masters with the lead changing back and forth between current joint leaders, Mike Harwood and Gary Wolstenholme, and Mark James as the final groups reached the turn at La Quinta Golf and Country Club.
Three birdies in the opening four holes had handed Mark James a three shot lead in the early stages of what is proving a dramatic final round.
James started with a birdie on the first and a bogey on the second was followed immediately by back to back birdies to leave him three under par through four holes and 11 under for the tournament.
The former Ryder Cup Captain let that lead slip, however, after a bogey on the sixth before Harwood gained the outright lead briefly on 11 under par thanks to a run of back to back birdies on the sixth and seventh along with another gained shot on the ninth.
Gary Wolstenholme soon joined the Australian at the top when he followed up three successive birdies from the sixth hole with another at the tenth.
James was a shot further back on ten under par as he stepped onto the 11th tee while Barry Lane and overnight leader Mark Mouland were on nine under.
Mouland had earlier opened the door for the others early on when he bogeyed the opening hole and he was level par for the day when he reached the turn.
