A blistering start saw defending champion Alex Levy swiftly displace Julien Quesne at the top of the Volvo China Open leaderboard as the third round began at Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club.
Quesne’s second round 67 had given him a one shot lead over fellow Frenchman Levy and America’s Peter Uihlein.
Levy, who romped to a four shot victory in this event last year to secure a maiden European Tour title – he has since added a second in Portugal – wiped out the overnight deficit with a birdie from 20 feet at the first.
Both 24 year old Levy and 34 year old Quesne got up-and-down from the edge of the green at the long second for matching birdies, but Levy holed an outrageous 60 foot effort on the third.
At ten under par he led by one from Quesne, with Uihlein a shot further back in third having produced his only birdie of the day on the second.
Sweden’s Magnus A Carlsson had shown the later starters what was possible with an outward 30 the catalyst for a round of 65 which propelled him from outside the top 40 to clubhouse leader on six under.
