Matt Jones and Jason Day made the perfect start to their third rounds at the US PGA Championship but the chasing pack were breathing down their necks at Whistling Straits.
Jones began the day on 11 under and soon made that 12 with a birdie on the first but playing partner Day followed him in to keep the gap at the top just two shots.
The rest of the field were making their move, though, with Anirban Lahiri opening birdie-birdie to sit on nine under alongside Justin Rose who enjoyed a slice of luck on the first hole.
The Englishman sent his drive right but managed to avoid the hazards and when he found the green, he rolled in a 40 foot putt to start with a birdie.
Masters Tournament and US Open champion Jordan Spieth also birdied the first and he was seven under after three holes.
Branden Grace reached the turn in 33 as a trio of South African European Tour Members threatened to challenge the leaders.
The six-time European Tour winner produced birdies at the first, fifth and seventh to sit on seven under alongside countryman Charl Schwartzel who was also enjoying a sparkling round with five birdies through 13 holes.
George Coetzee enjoyed one of the rounds of the day with a 65 on Friday and he was just a shot behind Grace and Schwartzel after a birdie on the first had him six under through three holes.
American Boo Weekley held the clubhouse lead on six under after a 65 which was one shot better on the day and for the tournament than Phil Mickelson who recorded nine birdies, a Major Championship high for the three time Masters Tournament winner.
"With the three three putts and a couple other bogeys and mistakes that I made, it could have been in the low 60s and possibly broken the Major record," said Mickelson. "That would have been special. But you just can't make those kind of mistakes.
"I finally, though, hit enough good shots. I hit a lot of good quality shots and made some good putts.
"But I did the hard things very well and the easy things not so well today. But it's a process of slowly getting it back.
"It's been two years since I've been at my best and it's a little disappointing that it's taken so long. But I'm trying to be patient and rounds like these help because I see how close I am to finally being at my best."
Martin Kaymer was six under having reached the turn in 34.
Rory McIlroy got his third round off to a flying start but fell back and could not maintain his momentum to make a serious dent on the leaderboard through 13 holes.
The World Number One began his round nine shots off the lead and saw his birdie putt on the first somehow hang on the edge of the hole without dropping.
But he put his third on the par five second inside six feet and despite missing a birdie chance on the third he picked up another shot on the fourth.
The 26 year old's second shot on the par five fifth found the back of the green and when he drained a 60 foot putt for eagle, he was four under for the day and inside the top ten.
The Northern Irishman then found a greenside bunker on the sixth and dropped a shot before he found sand twice on the eighth to fall further back.
A birdie on the tenth got him rolling again but an over-hit tee shot on the par three 12th resulted in another bogey before he picked the shot back up at the 13th to sit five under alongside Luke Donald and Brooks Koepka.
France's Victor Dubuisson impressed with a 67 as he, along with many others, made the best of the rain-softened layout.
Tyrrell Hatton, playing at the year's final Major for the first time, recorded a 68 to also sit at three under as five birdies in his first 14 holes were only blemished by a bogey on the 17th.
"I made a lot of good par putts today which helped to keep the momentum up," he said. "But overall I thought it was a good day and more than anything just happy to be playing the weekend after making my first cut in a Major.
"Obviously I've played four Opens so this was one of my goals to get my World Ranking inside the top 100 to play this event.
"The pressure was off in a way and I think that's the best I've played this week."
