Seve Trophy by Golf+ rivals Francesco Molinari and Scott Jamieson both charged into contention for the Portugal Masters on another day of low scoring in Vilamoura on Saturday.
Molinari, twice a runner-up in this event in 2009 and 2010, only made the halfway cut on the mark of two under par after running up a double-bogey six on the 18th in Friday's second round.
But the Ryder Cup star, whose victory over Chris Wood in the final singles match secured the Seve Trophy for Continental Europe last week, stormed up the leaderboard with an outward 31 before picking up further birdies on the tenth, 12th, 14th and 15th at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course.
That lifted the Italian to ten under par and just two shots off the overnight lead shared by English duo David Lynn and Paul Waring and South African Hennie Otto, who were still more than an hour and a half away from beginning their third rounds.
Jamieson's scoring burst was even more spectacular, the Scot covering the front nine in just 29 with six birdies, and picking up another shot on the tenth to join Molinari on ten under.
Molinari was unable to find any further birdies and eventually signed for a 63 to set the early clubhouse target on ten under.
But that target looked certain to be overhauled by Jamieson, who had moved into a share of the lead thanks to birdies on the 11th and 13th and, after a par on the 14th, needed to birdie the last four holes to shoot the first ever 59 on The European Tour.
