Jon Rahm turned in 33 to open up a three shot lead at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and put himself into pole position to be crowned European Tour Number One heading into the final nine holes of the 2019 season.
With Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex leader Bernd Wiesberger in the clubhouse back at two under, a two way tie for second would be enough to see Rahm take the season long prize as long as Tommy Fleetwood did not finish level with or ahead of him.
The Spaniard reached 18 under at the turn to sit three shots ahead of Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera and five clear of Fleetwood and World Number Two Rory McIlroy.
A victory for Rahm would hand him a second victory at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, a sixth European Tour win, a fourth Rolex Series victory and a third win on the 2019 Race to Dubai.
He would also move up to third on the Official World Golf Ranking but all that would be overshadowed by him becoming just the second Spaniard after the great Seve Ballesteros to be crowned Europe's Number One.
Rahm quickly hit the front on his own with a 30 foot putt on the first and he got up and down to birdie the second, with the lead staying at one as joint overnight leader Lorenzo-Vera also took advantage of the par five.
A missed green from Lorenzo-Vera at the third extended the lead and when Rahm holed a fast 62 foot monster on the fifth, the advantage was three shots.
Rahm took the sensible approach on the par three sixth to avoid flirting with the water but he was unstoppable and made his 30 foot birdie putt to lead by four and, potentially crucially in the season long race, he was six ahead of McIlroy in third.
The Northern Irishman had taken advantage of the second but got into tree trouble down the left on the seventh to give the shot back.
A 20 footer on the seventh brought a third birdie in a row for Rahm and Lorenzo-Vera failed to get up and down from the sand to make a it a six shot lead.
Rahm found an unplayable lie off the tee at the eighth but was still just one roll from saving par, as Lorenzo-Vera put his approach to four feet to cut the lead to four.
A three putt on the ninth then meant the lead was down to three and Rahm was five shots ahead of Fleetwood and McIlroy.
The 2017 Race to Dubai Champion birdied the second but gave the shot straight back before hitting a stunner into the fifth and birdieing the eighth.
Danny Willett was at ten under, two shots clear of clubhouse leader Jason Scrivener who carded an excellent 65.
