Andy Sullivan headed into the back nine of the final round of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai with a one shot lead over Rory McIlroy - who had one hand on The Race to Dubai trophy.
Sullivan turned in 33 at Jumeirah Golf Estates to get to 19 under and maintain his overnight advantage over the Northern Irishman, who was three shots clear of closest rival Danny Willett in the battle to be European Number One.
Willett needs to finish above McIlroy to deny the defending Race to Dubai champion a third European crown and he was the nearest challenger to the leading duo at 15 under.
For Sullivan and his army of fans out on the Earth Course, the aim is a fourth win of the year and a chance to move into the top 30 of the Official World Golf Rankings.
Thongchai Jaidee was a shot behind Willett at 14 under with Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace a further shot back.
Willett holed a gutsy six-footer down the hill on the first to save par and followed that with a first birdie of the day on the next.
When the final duo got their rounds under way, it was Sullivan who had the honour of being the last player announced by long-time European Tour starter Ivor Robson, who is retiring after 41 years in the role this week.
Both men had birdie opportunities but Sullivan was the only one to take his as he rolled in a fast eight-footer to quickly extend his lead to two shots.
Sullivan found the sand with his second shot on the second but played out to 12 feet and rolled in another birdie while McIlroy also made a gain after going left of the green with his approach.
Willett made a birdie on the fifth to keep the pressure on McIlroy and when the 26 year old had a three putt bogey on the fourth, the gap between the pair was just two shots.
McIlroy replied in perfect fashion with a birdie of his own on the fifth but he could not close in on Sullivan who followed him in from ten feet to get to 19 under and keep his three shot lead.
An ten-foot left to right putt on the par three sixth made it back-to-back birdies for McIlroy but Sullivan holed his own from slightly closer range as the leading pair began to pull further away from the pack.
Willett was still battling, though, and a birdie on the par five seventh moved him to 14 under and on his own in third place.
McIlroy made it three birdies in a row on the seventh as he left his eagle putt a foot short and that reduced the gap at the top to two with Sullivan doing well to save par after getting in some trouble down the left.
Willett was grinding admirably and after nerveless par putts on the first and third, he made another after finding the sand off the tee on the ninth to turn in 33.
Sullivan was in a bunker off the tee on the eighth and when he left his recovery in the rough short of the green, a third bogey of the week followed with McIlroy's par cutting the lead to one.
Sand trouble off a third consecutive tee followed on the ninth and when Sullivan crashed his second shot into the lip and his third over the back of the green, McIlroy had the chance to move ahead.
But the 28 year old made a brilliant chip-in from right to left to save par and maintain his one shot advantage with Willett cutting the gap to McIlroy to three shots on the tenth.
Earlier, Francesco Molinari made the 46th hole in one of the season from 170 yards on the sixth.
