Matthew Southgate started round three with three birdies to jump out into the lead at the NBO Oman Open.
Matthieu Pavon had entered the day at Al Mouj Golf with a two-shot lead but he dropped two shots in his opening three holes to be leapfrogged by Southgate who moved to 12 under.
Pavon was in a share of second at nine under alongside Adrian Otaegui and Chris Wood, with Julien Guerrier a further shot back.
Englishman Southgate showed his intent early with some impressive putting giving him a share of the lead after just two holes.
The 29 year old holed a slippery 18-footer on the first to get within one and when he hit a beautiful approach into eight feet on the second, he was 11 under.
France's Pavon had to hole a tricky putt of his own from the fringe on the first after sending his first effort off the green and he also hit a good approach into the second but could not make his birdie putt.
Southgate was flying and he got up and down from a greenside bunker on the par five third, holing a 20-foot putt to make it three birdies in a row and lead on his own.
That lead soon became three shots as Pavon made a mess of the third, finding sand off the tee, rough with his second, sand again with his fourth and a two-putt led to a double-bogey.
Spaniard Otaegui was making the big move of the day with a hat-trick of birdies from the third and another on the eighth saw him turn in 32. He then hit a stunning approach into the tenth for a fifth birdie of the day and he was alone in second.
England's Wood made an excellent par save on the first following a ragged tee-shot and took advantage of the third with a nice chip to move alongside Otaegui.
Frenchman Guerrier made birdies on the first and third but dropped a shot on the fourth before holing a lengthy birdie effort on the fifth.
Spaniard Jorge Campillo made six birdies in seven holes on the front nine to sign for a 66 and take the clubhouse lead at seven under, with Daan Huizing, Andrew Johnston and Fabrizio Zanotti also at that mark.