Julian Suri extended his lead to three shots as the third round of the Hero Indian Open got under way at DLF Golf and Country Club.
The American entered the weekend with a two shot advantage and quickly extended that to four but then dropped a shot to sit at 11 under after three holes.
Swede Robert Karlsson and England's Callum Shinkwin were at eight under, a shot clear of local favourite S Chikkarangappa, who was charging through the field having started the day at level par.
George Coetzee, Scott Hend, Masahiro Kawamura and Parayad Marksaeng were then five shots off the lead.
Suri picked up where he left off with a birdie on the first from eight feet and his lead was up to three shots, with playing partner Coetzee dropping a shot.
Another gain came for the leader on the second from similar range and he had quickly regained the four shot advantage that he briefly held on Friday afternoon.
Then, it was Shinkwin who was his nearest challenger and the 25-year-old picked up a shot on the third from ten feet to move back into second alongside Karlsson - who parred his first three holes.
Chikkarangappa was delighting the home crowds and he moved into the group in a share of fourth - now six shots off the leader - with birdies on the first, second, fourth, ninth, tenth and 11th.
A first bogey of the day from Suri as he failed to get up and down on the par three third trimmed his advantage and Chikkarangappa made a seventh gain of the day on the 13th to sit just four back.
Kawamura was one under for the day, with Marksaeng level par and Hend one over after all three men had played three holes.
Stephen Gallacher, Mikko Korhonen and Matthias Schwab were six shots off the lead.
