Sam Little shot a superb round of 65 to set the clubhouse target at 14 under par at the Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship.
The Englishman, coming into the final round on the back of a 70-69-70 run, did not seem likely to break the steady trend when he picked up just one birdie on the front nine.
However, he got the ball rolling on the tenth and his momentum brought him further strokes at the next two.
He then took a par four at the 13th, but a birdie on the 14th followed by an eagle at the next put him seven under for the day and 14 under for the competition.
At present, however, it does not look enough to win.
Mikael Lundberg, currently on the sixth, is level par for his round and 17 under overall. He is joined by José Manuel Lara of Spain, who is six under par for the day after 11 holes.
England’s Benn Barham is also 17 under after seven holes, while two players are 16 under and another couple are 15 under.
Last year’s runner-up Robert-Jan Derksen is second in the clubhouse on 13 under par, while earlier in the day Jamie Donaldson staked his claim by improving to 12 under par.
The Welshman, who started the day in a tie for 43rd on six under par, suffered a blip at the third, though birdies at the first, second, sixth and seventh saw him out in33. Birdies followed at the tenth and 12th to give him an outside chance, before he took a birdie at the 17th for a 66.
England’s Paul Waring shot eight birdies and one double bogey in a round of 66 that saw him finish 12 under.
Elsewhere, England’s David Carter, who jointly held the lead after the first round, finished seven under par with a 65-73-76-67.
