Tommy Fleetwood hailed the power of perseverance after a third round 67 moved him to within four shots of the lead heading into the final round of the 2020 BMW PGA Championship.
The Englishman experienced a nightmare start at Wentworth Golf Club on Thursday, slipping to four over after seven holes before battling back to card a one under par round of 71.
A 68 and a 67 have followed and Fleetwood had to overcome adversity of a different kind in round three, as he struggled to take advantage of some stunning iron play before finding his touch on the greens and coming home in 33.
He will now tee off alongside Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed on Sunday as he looks for a third Rolex Series victory, and he was pleased with his battling performance so far this week.
"You just have to keep playing all the time," he said. "That's your job and that's all you can ever do.
"Stood here now, people are talking, giving me interviews like I'm in some sort of contention. I'm not that far off. Hopefully it's a good message to the kids, just keep going because you never know what's going to happen in golf.
"I might not win this week or I might not come close tomorrow but, at the end of the day, I've got here to this point on Saturday after a really bad start, and without changing much as well. It wasn't as if I flipped a switch or whatever. I just kept going. Here we are.
"So hopefully I can carry on the good play that's been whatever it is for the last 40-odd holes.
"I feel like I'm doing a lot of very good stuff and I feel good about my game and any time you're in contention and you're playing on Sunday, it's a privilege.
"You're right at where every single player at the start of the week wants to be. Just go out tomorrow and do the same thing, and lucky to be competing."
Reed eagled the last in a 68 to sit alongside Fleetwood at ten under and he has pledged to be aggressive as he looks for a first Rolex Series victory.
"Making the putt on the last definitely made it a lot more satisfying because a lot of things that I've been trying to fix or tweak in my golf swing really paid off today and I felt like I hit the ball where I needed to on most of the holes," he said.
"A couple, distance control here and there was a hair off on some of the shots to the green but, besides that, I felt the ball striking was there.
"I play aggressively as it is so I can be really aggressive. The thing is: how does the swing feel? What's the weather going to be like? Pin placements? I'm going to pick my battles.
"Today where I rode kind of a cold putter, I'm putting really well. So if I just get within 30, 25 feet, I feel like I have a chance of making it.
"For me, it's more make sure I give myself as many looks as I can and go out and try to play bogey free and make as much as I can."
