Colin Montgomerie continued his return to form at the Portugal Masters when he resumed at Vilamoura ten off the lead.
A first top ten finish since June last year is a possibility and birdies at the second, fourth and fifth in his third round certainly improved the chances.
After surviving the halfway cut with only one shot to spare at five under - he had bogeyed two of his last three holes - Europe's Ryder Cup Captain moved up from 46th to seventh by with three more birdies and no dropped shots.
Also going well and six under for their third round was Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez.
Italian Francesco Molinari, the halfway leader on 15 under was yet to tee off and Montgomerie and Jiménez were still four and five shots adrift respectively.
Molinari took a one stroke lead over South African Charl Schwartzel into the day, with Padraig Harrington's second round 62 - the joint lowest of his career - leaving him joint third with Retief Goosen.
Montgomerie's fourth birdie of the day came on the 442 yard ninth, and he started the back nine with another.
