Scotland's Scott Jamieson came agonisingly close to recording the first ever 59 on The European Tour in the third round of the Portugal Masters on Saturday.
Jamieson carded 11 birdies in his first 17 holes at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course and needed another on the last of the par 71 layout to break the magical 60 barrier.
However, his approach ran just over the green and his chip from around 15 feet grazed the edge of the hole, the 29 year old from Glasgow sinking to his knees before tapping in for par.
Jamieson had to settle for the 18th round of 60 in European Tour history and the second this season after American Peter Uihlein's 12 under round at Kingsbarns during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Having only made the halfway cut by one shot, Jamieson now found himself in the clubhouse lead on 14 under just as overnight leaders David Lynn, Paul Waring and Hennie Otto were heading to the first tee at 12 under.
Jamieson's superb round overshadowed a 63 from Ryder Cup star Francesco Molinari, who had made the cut right on the mark of two under par after running up a double bogey six on the 18th in Friday's second round.
Molinari, whose victory over Chris Wood in the final singles match secured the Seve Trophy by Golf+ for Continental Europe on Sunday, carded eight birdies and no bogeys to finish ten under.
Jamieson actually shot a round of 57 before winning his first European Tour title in a play-off for the Nelson Mandela Championship in South Africa last December, but that was in a tournament cut to 36 holes and on a Royal Durban course reduced to a par 65 because of saturated fairways.
He commented: "I said to Richard (his caddie) playing 17 I really want to make a birdie here so we have a chance of it going down the last and I could not have asked to hit a better shot in. It pitched just short of the hole...what a chip as well!
"When I birdied the 13th I said to Richard then 'A few more and we could be part of history'. I was definitely nervous but thinking about it from the tournament point of view the leaders are going to be a minimum of 16, 17 maybe 18 under going into tomorrow so that kept me going."
Jamieson, who carded an opening 66 but struggled to a 73 on Friday, added: "I played really well the first day and got nothing out of it. I was five under par but the longest putt I holed was maybe eight feet for par on one hole.
"I felt like I have been playing well for a while, a few good rounds in there. Yesterday I didn't necessarily play poorly, just didn't score well so it was nice today."
Jamieson remained top of the leaderboard as the last group out reached the turn, although he had been joined by Simon Thornton after the Irishman carded five birdies in six holes from the seventh then holed from long range across the 13th green.
The Saint Omer winner almost claimed the outright lead when he left another birdie putt inches short on the last.
That meant he had to settle for a 65 and share of the clubhouse lead, with Spain's Alvaro Quiros also 14 under with three holes to play after an eagle on the par five 12th.
Pablo Larrazábal saved par on the 18th after coming up 20 yards short of the green with his approach, a 64 leaving him well placed on 13 under.
