Nick Dougherty birdied the first three holes but there was nothing in it between the Englishman and South African Retief Goosen with nine holes to play at the BMW International Open in Munich.
And 51 year old Bernhard Langer was still in the frame, trying to become easily the oldest winner in European Tour history.
Langer birdied the first to be only one back, but followed it with a bogey four.
When Goosen bogeyed the fourth and Dougherty had a fourth birdie on the next the 27 year old Liverpudlian was two clear, but he badly dumped his approach to the long sixth into the water.
He ran up a bogey six and Goosen's two putt birdie brought them all square again, with Langer one behind after he also birdied.
Goosen's drive into rough down the seventh cost him another bogey, but he sank a 14 foot eagle putt two holes later and leapt to 18 under.
Dougherty had driven poorly there, but he followed the double US Open Championship in from 12 feet to put them level with nine to play, two ahead of Langer.
Sweden’s Niclas Fasth had shown the leaders that low scoring was possible at Golfclub München Eichenried with a nine under par round of 63 to climb 45 places for a share of eighth place.
