Chris Wood turned in 33 to open up a one-shot lead on day three of the inaugural NBO Oman Open.
The Englishman began the day at Al Mouj Golf three shots behind overnight leader Matthieu Pavon after making his first cut of the season but three birdies on the front nine moved him to 11 under and the top of the leaderboard.
Adrian Otaegui was at ten under with one hole left to play, a shot clear of Andrew Johnston, Alexander Levy, Joost Luiten and Matthew Southgate.
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.
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.
The Spaniard then made another birdie on the 12th to get into double figures and he was joined there by Pavon who bounced back with a 15-foot putt on the fourth.
Southgate saw his lead cut to one as he came up short of the fourth and took three putts from a long way out, and a missed short one on the sixth put Otaegui in a share of the lead.
Ahead at the seventh Wood repeated his trick from the third, hitting a deft chip to six feet to make it a three-way tie.
The momentum was with the 2016 Ryder Cup player and he hit a brilliant eight iron into the par three eighth and holed a 12-foot right-to-lefter for another gain and top spot on is own.
Southgate hit two provisionals on the seventh and while he found his original ball on both occasions, he was playing out of horrible rough for his second and fourth shots and surrendered a double-bogey.
A second three-putt on a par three dropped Pavon into a growing group at eight under and he was replaced in third by Luiten who turned in 33.
The 32 year old hit a wonderful tee-shot to tap-in range on the fifth, added another birdie on the sixth and made an impressive right-to-lefter on the ninth.
Johnston was another man quietly putting together an excellent round and he took advantage of the par five 12th to also get to nine under after birdies on the fifth, sixth and tenth - the latter thanks to a monster putt.
Southgate was beginning to look a little flustered but he regained his composure beautifully at the ninth, putting his approach to eight feet and making a birdie.
Levy stormed into the group two shots off the lead as he got it going on the back nine.
He had turned in 35 with two birdies and a bogey but made gains on the tenth, 12th, 14th and 16th to move right into contention.
Pavon was at eight under alongside countryman Julien Guerrier, a shot clear of clubhouse leaders Jorge Campillo and Stephen Gallacher.
