Two time champion Robert Allenby moved one shot clear at the top Sportsbet Australian Masters leaderboard midway through the third round at Huntingdale Golf Club in Melbourne after grabbing a rare albatross.
Australian Allenby picked up four shots in two holes from the sixth helped by the albatross two at the 536 yard seventh to reach the turn four under par and move onto nine under overall.
Allenby’s three wood approach to the par five seventh pitched on the front of the green and skipped forward before rolling 20 feet into the cup.
Compatriot Anthony Summers played the opening nine holes of his third round in two under par and sits a shot clear of a group at seven under.
Marcus Fraser, who shot a third round five under par 67, moved up the leaderboard after picking up three strokes through 13 holes courtesy of back-to-back birdies around the turn.
Rod Pampling reeled off three consecutive birdies from the sixth to help him to two under through 11 holes alongside Michael Wright, who was two under through 10, at seven under.
Michael Sim recovered from two bogeys in his opening three holes and matched Pampling’s run of birdies to reach one under through ten holes to join the quartet two shots off the pace.
Overnight leader Tim Clark slipped into a congested group at six under after shipping one shot over his opening nine holes.
A second round 70 proved good enough to enable first round joint-leader Clark of South Africa to keep his nose in front heading into the weekend and he began the day a shot clear of Summers of New South Wales and Sim.
Allenby began his third round s further shot adrift after picking up five shots on the back nine of his second round for six under par 66.
