Eddie Pepperell joined Adrian Otaegui at the top of the leaderboard as things tightened up even further on day three of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
The top 34 players had been separated by just five shots overnight at Doha Golf Club and as the final groups got their rounds under way on Saturday, there were just two shots between the top 18.
Spaniard Otaegui started with three pars to stay at 11 under and a birdie on the first for playing partner Pepperell saw the Englishman join him on that mark.
American Sean Crocker, Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, England's Oliver Fisher and David Horsey, Italians Lorenzo Gagli and Andrea Pavan, Scot Stephen Gallacher and Frenchman Grégory Havret were then at ten under, a shot clear of clubhouse leader Jason Scrivener.
Horsey had started his day with an eagle but bogeyed the third before making gains on the fourth and seventh and when he picked up another shot on the tenth, he was just one off the lead.
Gagli got to ten under quickly, birdieing the second, fourth and fifth, but Gallacher soon moved out of that group to join the lead with a birdie on the first.
When the final group under way there was soon a three-way tie at the top as Pepperell also took advantage of the par five to get to 11 under.
It was a good morning so far for the Italians, with Pavan making it three birdies for the day on the seventh after gains on the first and sixth.
Gallchaer then bogeyed the third to drop out of the lead.
Fernandez-Castaño was two under through five holes, Fisher was one under through four, Crocker one under after three and playing partner Havret was level par.
Australian Scrivener had set the the target after a bogey-free 67 with birdies on the second, tenth, 14th, 16th and last.
