The race for the Open de Portugal at Morgado Golf Resort was hotting up as the field began to close in on long-term leader Matt Wallace during the early stages of the final round.
The 27 year old Wallace, promoted to the Challenge Tour after winning six times on the Alps Tour last term, had led after every round and took a three shot lead into day four.
He began solidly enough with four straight pars to remain 17 under for the week but, with low scoring conditions prevailing in Portimão, saw his advantage rapidly reduced.
German Sebastian Heisele picked up birdies on the third and fourth to reduce the gap at the top to a single shot.
And it was far from a two-horse race, with American Julian Suri, England's Mark Foster, Finn Tapio Pulkkanen and France's Matthieu Pavon all reaching 14 under on the front nine.
Heisele dropped a shot on the sixth and Wallace birdied the seventh and ninth to reach 19 under.
However, he came under attack again, this time from Suri.
The World Number 1168, who in a handful of Challenge Tour starts had never finished better than 13th, had eight birdies in his first 14 holes to lie one off the lead approaching the closing straight.
Heisele and Pavon were tied for third on 16 under, and in need of quick gains to revive a title challenge.
