Justin Rose and Lucas Bjerregaard continued to go blow for blow in the final round of the UBS Hong Kong Open on what promised to be a hectic afternoon at Hong Kong Golf Club.
While the World Number Seven was aiming for an eighth European Tour title, others in the field were battling to get into the top 110 in the Race to Dubai and seal their playing privileges for next season.
The leading duo came into the final day at 15 under but Rose moved ahead with a birdie on the second before Bjerregaard hit back with one of his own on the third.
Matthew Fitzpatrick moved into second place with two early birdies to get to 12 under with YE Yang and Anirban Lahiri a further shot back.
Both Lahiri and Jeev Milkha Singh, who needs a high finish to keep his card, found the rough on the left off the tee to drop shots on their opening hole while the leading duo both got up and down for par after leaving their approaches short to open up a five shot gap.
Yang then joined Fitzpatrick and Lahiri at ten under with a birdie on the third courtesy of a 20 foot putt while playing partner Matt Ford, who had played his way into the top 110 provisionally, was level par for the day at nine under after three.
Rose left himself around 20 feet with his tee shot on the par three second but made it to go out in front on his own with Fitzpatrick and Yang making birdies on the third and fourth to get to 11 under.
Lahiri recovered from that opening blemish to join the pair with a birdie at the third where Bjerregaard flew his second shot over the green but recovered to pitch to within six feet and join Rose at 16 under.
Fitzpatrick then made it two birdies in three holes with a gain at the fifth from 30 feet as he aims for a second straight title after victory at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports.
Thongchai Jaidee, Masahiro Kawamura, Soomin Lee, Jason Scrivener and Singh were then all on nine under.
Richard McEvoy set the early clubhouse target at seven under with a 65 as he fell short in a last-gap mission to save his card.
The Englishman came into the week 132nd in the Race to Dubai and began with rounds of 67-68 but a 73 on Saturday essentially scuppered his hopes.
That did not deter him, though, and the 36 year old was seven under through 17 holes before finishing his round with a double bogey on the last.
Prom Meesawat was the man those on the outside were looking to catch on Thursday morning as he sat 110th in the standings and he gave his chances of staying on Tour a massive boost with a stunning finish in Fanling.
The Thai was one over for the day through 12 holes of his final round but made a gain on the 13th and then finished with four straight birdies to get to five under for the week and a provisional Race to Dubai placing of 108th.
He will now spend the day watching on with interest and he admits his fate is still not in his own hands.
"I can't control anybody. Jeev is playing well so he can finish top three," he said.
It's a good way to finish with four birdies in a row, that's helped me a lot - Prom Messawat
"I hit a lot of good shots and I talked to my caddie: 'we've just got to be patient'. I just missed a short putt on 14 and I holed a long putt (25 feet) on 15 and I just told myself - the last three, just get a couple of birdies.
"I didn't expect to make birdie on the 18th but if you hit a good tee shot you can try to get it close. It's amazing making four in a row."
