Henrik Stenson opened up a two-shot lead midway through the final round of the BMW International Open as he went for a tenth European Tour title at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof.
The Swede had established a one-shot advantage in the third round on Sunday morning after most of Saturday's play was washed out and, despite taking 37 shots in his first nine holes, he had extended that at the turn.
Frenchman Raphaël Jacquelin and South African Darren Fichardt were in a share of second at 13 under with Thorbjørn Olesen a further shot back.
Olesen quickly erased Stenson's lead with a birdie on the first but the 40 year old hit back with an opening birdie of his own to get his nose back out in front.
The Dane then made a disappointing bogey on the par five third - a hole he had birdied twice in the first three rounds - as Stenson established a two-shot cushion.
But the World Number Seven went on to record just his second dropped shot of the week on the par three fourth to make it as you were at the very top of the leaderboard.
Stenson then birdied the fifth to move two ahead but it was Jacquelin who was surging through the field, making gains on the first, third and fifth to get himself to 14 under and three shots back.
The lead was back to one as Stenson found sand on the sixth and failed to get up and down but Olesen could not capitalise as he dropped shots on the eighth and ninth.
Bogeys from Stenson and Jacquelin on the eighth - the former after a full horseshoe - opened the door for the chasing pack and Fichardt was looking the most likely to go through it as birdies on the third and tenth got him to 13 under - a share of second.
The struggle then continued for Olesen who made it three bogeys in a row on the tenth.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat had made a charge with three birdies in a row from the fourth but a double-bogey on the ninth after finding the water dropped him to ten under alongside Sergio Garcia and Mike Lorenzo-Vera.
David Horsey had set the clubhouse target at nine under with a closing 70.
