Lloyd Saltman shot the lowest front nine score of the week to put himself in contention at the Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship midway through his third round.
The Scot climbed to 11 under par after a superb run of birdies on the first, second, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth holes which took him out in 30.
Another birdie at the 12th has left him one shot adrift of the 13 under par second round clubhouse lead held by Swedes Mikael Lundberg and Jarmo Sandelin, and temporarily ahead of the early 54-hole tally of nine under set by Guido Van Der Valk.
The Dutchman, resuming at two under par, picked up strokes at the second, fifth and ninth holes, before adding birdies at the 11th and 12th to move to seven under. A bogey followed at the 13th but a hat-trick of birdies from the fifth gave him a 65 for the day.
South Africa’s Darren Fichardt started his round well, moving to 11 under par after four birdies in his first five holes. He is joined by Benn Barham, who shot an eagle at the second and birdies at the third and sixth.
Elsewhere, Maarten Lafeber is seven under par after a round of 67, while defending champion Per-Ulrik Johansson slipped back to six under after a bogey six on the second.
