Sébastien Gros was delighted to show he can mix it with the best after carding a stunning 63 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
The Frenchman finished second on The Challenge Tour last season to get his 2016 card and was playing just his seventh round on The European Tour at Leopard Creek Country Club.
But he showed no signs of that inexperience as birdies on the third, fifth, sixth, seventh, tenth, 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th moved him to ten under and just three shots behind leader Charl Schwartzel at the opening event of The Race to Dubai.
The 26 year old had wins at the Najeti Open Presented by Neuflize OBC and the Kazakhstan Open last season and admitted he felt his career trajectory was ahead of schedule.
"I'm very pleased because even if I had a great season on The Challenge Tour, you never know how you compare to the top players in Europe or South Africa so being in contention is just a good feeling," he said.
"Winning twice on The Challenge Tour to graduate, that was not the goal at the beginning of the season, even the top 15 was not really what I was thinking about.
"If I had a good start of the season I was thinking about it but that was not the first thing in my head. I was just trying to improve every day and trying to get better at this game.
"It can help me tomorrow but some things are so different. Every day is different so imagine every season."
He added: "All the other players that are used to being on The European Tour are very friendly with the youngsters.
"They know more than you even if you think you know everything - you don't."
Gros looked on course to go out in the late groups on Saturday before three dropped shots in the last three holes of his second round derailed his progress.
But that clearly did not bother him and things could have been even better in round three had he made a putt for a 62 on the last.
"I remember that I haven't made the putt for ten under, that was the first time in my life that I had a ten under putt," Gros joked.
"I'm very pleased with what happened today. It was not that good from the tee but I was recovering back and every time I had a good opportunity I made it so the entire round was really good.
"Yesterday I was playing very good and just missed one shot on seven, had double then bogey, so I was maybe thinking about getting in contention.
"And then on the ninth tee I was just thinking about trying to play on the weekend so I'm just trying to take in what's going on around me."
Countryman Benjamin Hebert was also ten under after two birdies in his final three holes propelled him to a 68.
The 28 year old has made nine consecutive cuts and comes into the new season on the back of a career-best finish of 65th in the 2015 Race to Dubai.
Sunday will represent his final round of the calendar year and the six-time Challenge Tour winner is hoping to end 2015 with his first European Tour win.
"It was a good day today, I played great and hit a lot of good iron shots," he said.
"Unfortunately my putting was a bit shy today and I didn't hole a lot of putts. The 16th was probably my hardest putt of the day but I'm quite happy and I'm in position for tomorrow.
"I feel good on this course. Today was a perfect day with no wind so it was easier than yesterday. If you hit straight from the tee it is quite easy so I need to focus on that, hit some good tee shots and my irons are quite good.
"I'll just try to keep focus, don't think about too many things and just play shot by shot. Tomorrow is my last round of the year so I hope it's going to be a very good one."
