Peter Uihlein was in the company of Grégory Bourdy at the summit of the ISPS Handa Wales Open leaderboard after struggling to an outward 37 in the fourth round.
Uihlein, who held a commanding three-stroke advantage overnight, initially indicated that comfortable day might be in the offing.
Indeed, the American birdied the second to signal his confidence, only to drop shots at the next two holes; his bogey at three was a positive result given he holed a 45 footer to avoid a double.
Pars thereafter meant Uihlein was six under overall midway through his final round, level with Bourdy.
Bourdy had briefly shared the lead following an eagle three at the second, brought about by him holing from the sand.
But, having relinquished top spot when failing to get up and down from 84 yards at the sixth, he found a birdie at nine to rejoin Uihlein.
A shot further back was Denmark’s Søren Kjeldsen, who was four under for his round and aiming to set a tricky clubhouse target.
Earlier, Europe’s Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley produced a final round 67.
On a week that has heralded the start of qualification of next year’s contest with the Americans, McGinley was looking to secure the best possible personal finish at The Celtic Manor Resort.
The 46 year old made a good start in his attempts to do just that as, having resumed on three over par, he picked up five shots in the opening 11 holes.
Two bogeys came either side of a birdie thereafter as McGinley ended four under for the round and one under overall.
