K J Choi heaped the pressure on Maybank Malaysian Open leader Rhys Davies after trimming his lead to just one shot midway through the third round at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
Welshman Davies earlier completed a three under par second round following yesterday's lightning delay to lead by two shots at the halfway mark.
And while first round joint leader Davies reached the turn of his third circuit in a steady two under par, the veteran South Korean’s hot putter saw Choi close the gap with four birdies over a flawless opening ten holes.
Sweden's Johan Edfors followed up back to back rounds of 69 by posting four gains over his first 11 holes to sit just two off the pace at ten under par with Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat a further shot adrift.
Four birdies in his first four holes helped Choi's compatriot Noh Seung-yul to eight under, with in form Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee, Alejandro Cañizares and Ignacio Garrido well placed a further shot off the pace.
Cañizares was the first to cut Davies' second round lead to a single shot at the first after dropping a superb approach to four feet with the Welshman missing a long birdie chance.
Joint first round leader Garrido continued his flying start with a second consecutive gain to join Cañizares before the chasing pack quickly grew to four as Noh added a fourth consecutive birdie and Kiradech rolled in from six feet for a second gain in three holes.
Choi missed out on joining the quartet as an eight foot chance lipped out at the third, but the 39 year old did not have to wait long to progress to nine under par with a breaking 12 foot putt a hole later.
With the chasing pack up to five, Davies found a response at the third before Choi added a second consecutive birdie to trim the advantage back to one.
Davies rolled in from three feet to double lead at the par five fifth, but Choi's putter was on fire with a ten foot conversion at the eighth keeping the seven time US PGA Tour winner in touch.
