Thomas Pieters made a stunning birdie-birdie-birdie start to open up a two-shot lead during the third round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
The big-hitting Belgian started the day at Firestone Country Club two shots off the lead but that brilliant start got him to eight under, two shots ahead of Scotsman Russell Knox and overnight leader Jimmy Walker.
World Number Four Rory McIlroy and Australian Scott Hend were then at five under alongside Hideki Matsuyama, Zach Johnson and Adam Hadwin.
Champion Golfer of the Year Jordan Spieth got off to a blistering start with birdies on the first two holes but in the group behind Knox and Hadwin repeated the trick as the group at five under swelled to four.
Johnson made a gain at the first to also sit two off the lead but a poor tee-shot from Speith saw him drop a shot on the third before Matsuyama got in on the act, taking advantage of the par five second.
Big-hitting Hend was making one of the big moves of the day and he had birdies on the first, fifth, sixth and eighth to go with a bogey on the seventh to get into the group at four under.
When the last group went out, Pieters put his approach to the first to eight feet to get to six under and with playing partner Walker finding sand off the tee to surrender a bogey, the 25 year old was in a tie for lead.
That was soon a three-way share as Hadwin holed his second long putt of the day to make it three birdies in a row.
It was a feast of birdies for most of the field in the early stages and McIlroy made one on the second but Spieth gave up a second consecutive bogey to go back to where he started the day.
Hadwin ended his birdie run with a bogey on the fourth but Hend holed a 43-footer on the tenth to join him at five under.
Knox moved into a share of the lead with the help of an approach to three feet on the fourth but he was not there for long as Pieters played a remarkable second after a poor tee-shot on the second and got down in two for a birdie.
A perfect tee-shot on the next then allowed Pieters to put an approach to tap-in range and he led by two.
Charley Hoffman was at four under, a shot clear of the group including Spieth, Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex leader Tommy Fleetwood and US Open champion Brooks Koepka.
World Number Four Rory McIlroy and Australian Scott Hend were then at five under alongside Hideki Matsuyama, Zach Johnson and Adam Hadwin.
Champion Golfer of the Year Jordan Spieth got off to a blistering start with birdies on the first two holes but in the group behind Knox and Hadwin repeated the trick as the group at five under swelled to four.
Johnson made a gain at the first to also sit two off the lead but a poor tee-shot from Speith saw him drop a shot on the third before Matsuyama got in on the act, taking advantage of the par five second.
Big-hitting Hend was making one of the big moves of the day and he had birdies on the first, fifth, sixth and eighth to go with a bogey on the seventh to get into the group at four under.
When the last group went out, Pieters put his approach to the first to eight feet to get to six under and with playing partner Walker finding sand off the tee to surrender a bogey, the 25 year old was in a tie for lead.
That was soon a three-way share as Hadwin holed his second long putt of the day to make it three birdies in a row.
It was a feast of birdies for most of the field in the early stages and McIlroy made one on the second but Spieth gave up a second consecutive bogey to go back to where he started the day.
Hadwin ended his birdie run with a bogey on the fourth but Hend holed a 43-footer on the tenth to join him at five under.
Knox moved into a share of the lead with the help of an approach to three feet on the fourth but he was not there for long as Pieters played a remarkable second after a poor tee-shot on the second and got down in two for a birdie.
A perfect tee-shot on the next then allowed Pieters to put an approach to tap-in range and he led by two.
Charley Hoffman was at four under, a shot clear of the group including Spieth, Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex leader Tommy Fleetwood and US Open champion Brooks Koepka.
