Henrik Stenson delighted the home fans with a brilliant third round 64 to join Eddie Pepperell in a share of the lead at the Nordea Masters.
The World Number Two had seven birdies and an eagle at the seventh, where he holed his approach, against a single dropped shot.
Overnight co-leader Pepperell added a 65 to join the European Number One on 13 under par, with Stephen Gallacher and Alvaro Quiros a shot behind in third.
With no sign of Friday’s strong breezes in Malmö, low scoring was the order of the day, and it was Stenson who posted the best round of the week.
A ten foot putt at the first provided one of three birdies in an outward 31, but it was his eight iron from 155 yards that produced the biggest roar from the galleries.
Another birdie at the 11th was followed by a gain from five feet at the 14th, but a dropped shot at the next saw him caught by Pepperell and Quiros and overtaken by Gallacher, who picked up a fourth straight birdie from three feet at the 14th.
Unlike his three closest rivals, all of whom bogeyed the short 17th, Stenson made a birdie at the penultimate hole and picked up another shot at the par five last to complete his day’s work.
“I knew it was going to be inside ten feet when I hit it and it landed about five feet away, had a little release and hop and went in,” Stenson said of his exploits at the seventh.
“That was a great shot and it all started with the six iron on the previous hole. Last year I hit a lot of good iron shots that didn’t go in, so it was nice to finally see one go in.
“The crowds have been great. I haven’t played in front of home crowds for a while and with the success I’ve had I really feel the support. I’m going to enjoy tomorrow and try to be up there tomorrow with nine to go and try to win this tournament for them.
“It would be great to do it. I’ve not won in Sweden before and obviously I would like to do that in my career. It seems like I’m going to have a chance tomorrow, but there is a long way to go and a lot of good players up there. I’m sure I need to stick to my play and be there when it really matters tomorrow.”
Quiros and Pepperell had threatened to burst clear earlier in the day when the big-hitting Spaniard eagled the first from five feet and the Englishman set off with a hat-trick of birdies.
Pepperell, searching for a first European Tour win, might have held the outright lead but after his dropped shot at the 17th found water down the last and had to produce an excellent pitch to scramble par.
“I had great fun out there,” said Pepperell, who after a slow start to the campaign has finished in the top 25 two weeks running. “I felt comfortable out there.
“I’m really happy with myself. The game feels pretty good.
“It was a great start with three birdies in a row. I was flying and I missed good opportunities on four and five. Then I had a sticky spell with my swing, but hung in there. I would like to have finished with a birdie on the last two holes, but I’m not too unhappy about that.
“On 17 I had a good swing, bad putt. On 18 I just hit a slight pull and the wind just took it in the water, but I can’t be too disappointed as I committed fully.
“Henrik is tied with me so it is going to be a great day tomorrow, but I’ve just keep to keep focused on my game and do what I’ve been doing. If I do that I’ll have a shot come the last and I’ll enjoy it.
“Henrik is one of the best players in the world, he’s in fine form and it is his home country. I couldn’t ask for much more really from a final round. It’s going to be really exciting for me and I’ve got to make it exciting for him.”
Quiros, who has been blighted by injury problems since collecting the last of his six European Tour wins in 2011, added five further birdies to his opening hole heroics, narrowly missing out on another eagle at the last.
France’s Victor Dubuisson, who led with Pepperell and Quiros at the halfway stage, sits fifth on 11 under following a 67.
