Sweden's Jens Dantorp birdied the last three holes to snatch a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
The Challenge Tour graduate fired a third round 67 to reach 13 under par at Gullane - one ahead of compatriot Alexander Bjork, American Rickie Fowler, New Zealander Ryan Fox, Australia's Scott Hend, England's Matthew Fitzpatrick and German Macel Siem.
Fox and Hend began the day eight shots off the lead, but both carded rounds of 63 before the East Lothian wind strengthened and made life difficult for the late starters.
When Fowler, the winner of this event last time it visited Gullane in 2015, parred the last, it looked as though Fox and Hend would form an unlikely final pairing on Sunday.
However, Dantorp made a superb pitch from the right on the final hole to complete a hat-trick of gains and secure the outright lead.
"I kept patient and it was nice to finish," said Dantorp.
"It was a totally different course today. The wind was blowing hard and in a different direction. Wasn't the same course, really. Feels good to have kept the good momentum going.
"It will be a new experience [leading], but really looking forward to it. Hopefully I'll stay on top."
Russell Knox admits it would be a "dream come true" to secure back-to-back Rolex Series victories.
Six days after beating Fox in a play-off to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, Knox heads into the final round just two shots behind Dantorp.
England's Tyrrell Hatton and Aaron Rai share eighth place with Knox on 11 under, with the top 26 players separated by just four shots.
"Winning your home Open is a massive goal. Other than winning a major, this is right up there with the tournament you really want to win the most," said Knox, who was raised in Inverness but attended Jacksonville University and stayed in Florida after graduating.
"I watched Rory [McIlroy] do it a couple of years ago in Ireland and I remember it well. The crowd were not rooting against me by any means but as I birdied 15 and went one ahead that was when the crowd thought 'Oh no, Rory might not win.'
"Then he went on to hit the best shot he's ever hit [to set up an eagle on the 72nd hole] and that was that.
"Winning is fun and I still have not come down from winning in Ireland. Confidence snowballs in a good and bad way and obviously I'm on a good wave at the moment. Hopefully I can keep riding it."
Fowler was one over par after ten holes of a windswept third round, but birdied the 11th, 15th and 16th to remain firmly in contention.
"Tomorrow is going to be tough," Fowler said. "We've got a pretty jam-packed leaderboard with a lot of guys within a few shots of the lead. Someone is going to have to go out and earn it."
England's Robert Rock, who enjoyed a two-shot overnight lead, struggled to a 76 to fall six shots off the pace.
