Shubhankar Sharma opened up a two-shot lead as the third round of the Joburg Open got under way at Randpark Golf Club.
The Indian entered the round one shot behind overnight-leader Tapio Pulkkanen but made two birdies in his first three holes to get to 15 under, with the Finn dropping his first shot of the week.
Another Finn, Mikko Korhonen, was then at 12 under alongside flying Swede Christofer Blomstrand, who was seven under for the round after 11 holes.
England's Steven Brown was then alongside local favourite Erik van Rooyen at 11 under, a shot clear of another South African in Christiaan Bezuidenhout, English pair Charlie Ford and James Morrison, Dane Joachim B Hansen and Frenchman Adrien Saddier.
Sharma is playing just his tenth European Tour event but has now made nine cuts and enjoyed a top ten in Hong Kong two weeks ago.
As well as the trophy being on offer this week, the top three finishers will earn a place at next year's Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links.
Some players had to return to complete their second rounds on Saturday morning after a storm delay on day two and when the first 36 holes were in the books, 82 players had made the cut, with an additional cut now being imposed after 54 holes for the top 72 and ties.
Once round three was under way, it was Blomstrand on the move, making an eagle on the fourth to go with birdies on the second, third, fifth, seventh and ninth to turn in 29 and move to within two of the lead.
Bezuidenhout was another man to finish in a tie for the 25th and final spot at Qualifying School and he birdied the 11th and then four in a row from the 13th to get to ten under.
Morrison was also in that group, a shot behind Hansen who joined him in birdieing the first.
Brown soon moved to 11 under with a birdie on the first but Van Rooyen and Blomstrand got to that score the wrong way, bogeying the first and tenth respectively.
Blomstrand holed a lengthy putt on the 11th to bounce straight back before Sharma joined the lead.
A birdie looked a long shot when he was well short of the green and in the rough in two at the second but he got up and down brilliantly, with Van Rooyen also taking advantage of the par five.
Hansen dropped a shot on the third after finding sand off the tee while playing parter Korhonen did well to save par, getting up and down from a greenside bunker.
Morrison had dropped a shot on the second but he birdied the fourth to get back into double-figures.
Pulkkanen missed the green with his second into the third to drop his first shot of the week and when Sharma holed from three feet after a stunning approach, the lead was two shots.
Ford and Saddier were both one under for their rounds.
