Indian Jeev Milkha Singh became the seventh player to shoot a record 64 on the Earth Course in Dubai - despite an injured finger and concerns about his mother.
The 40 year old had nine birdies and a bogey before missing a 15 foot chance to set a new mark on the final green of his DP World Tour Championship third round.
Singh has had a problem with the index finger on his right hand for over four months. It came during his winning of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and he is ignoring a doctor's advice to take an extended break from the game.
As for his 76 year old mother, she is awaiting an operation in Delhi after shattering a leg in a fall on the driveway outside her home.
"I learnt about it before I teed off yesterday," he said. "She needs major surgery and I'm going to fly back tomorrow. I dedicate this round to her."
Only joint 50th of the 56 players at halfway, Singh moved into the top 20 on seven under par, but that was still four behind joint overnight leaders Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Marc Warren and they were still waiting to resume.
Lee Westwood established the course record en route to winning in 2009 and it has now been equalled by Ross Fisher, Peter Hanson, Alvaro Quiros, Martin Kaymer and yesterday Sergio Garcia.
Seven players were separated by only one shot at the top when Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed and South African Charl Schwartzel moved to ten under to join Schwartzel's fellow countrymen Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen in third spot.
Schwartzel made it a four-way tie when he also birdied the long second, but Donald then matched that with a ten foot putt and holed from the same range at the next to go two clear on 13 under.
McIlroy did not make the best of starts, driving into a bunker and taking a bogey five.
He and Warren then both pulled their drives into the bushes on the 583 yard second, but while the World Number One was able to hack out and make his par Warren's penalty drop led to a bogey six.
They were three behind as a result and down to joint fifth.
