Steven Brown made a sensational surge through the field to take a two-shot lead as the race to make the Ryder Cup Team took another intriguing turn on day three of the Made in Denmark.
The Englishman began the day seven shots off the lead at Silkeborg Ry Golf Club but picked up eight strokes in 11 holes to get to 14 under and leapfrog overnight leader Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
The South African was two back, a shot clear of countryman Justin Walters and England's Lee Westwood.
In the quest to get to Le Golf National, Thorbjørn Olesen came into the week knowing a two-way tie for seventh or better would guarantee his place in France, with Matthew Fitzpatrick needing a victory and hoping that Olesen would stumble.
The Dane carded a 67 to surge up the leaderboard but Fitzpatrick picked up six shots in 15 holes to sit just four off the lead.
Olesen started the day right on the cut line and while he dropped a shot on the second, he made five birdies in six holes from the seventh and when he spun an approach to seven feet on the 16th, he was ahead of Fitzpatrick.
That would not last for long as Fitzpatrick birdied the second, fifth and eighth to turn in 33 and catch him. Further birdies on the tenth, 12th and 13th then gave the Englishman renewed hope.
Eddie Pepperell could also qualify with a victory but he was one over after 13 holes to sit ten off the lead.
Challenge Tour graduate Brown has one top ten in his rookie campaign and is looking for a good finish to the season to keep his card, sitting 136th on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex.
The 31 year old turned in 30 after birdies on the first, second, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth.
An eagle on the 11th saw him jump into the lead but not for long as Bezuidenhout played an excellent second after a ragged tee-shot to set up a birdie on the second.
That left Bezuidenhout and Brown three clear of Westwood and Walters, with the South African picking up shots on the first, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth 11th and 13th.
Bezuidenhout then got in big trouble on the third, hitting a tree in the middle of the fairway with his second and putting his third in the hazard to surrender a double-bogey.
Westwood began his round with three pars.
Norwegian Aksel Olsen set the clubhouse target at ten under after a 66 that saw him recover from a double-bogey on the fourth with birdies on the first, second, fifth, eighth, 11th, 12th, 14th and 16th.
Fitzpatrick, Thomas Detry, Sam Horsfield and Matt Wallace were also ten under.
