Victor Dubuisson birdied four of his final five holes to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Dubuisson fired an eight-under 64 on a day of low scoring at Jumeirah Golf Estates to hold a narrow advantage over nearest challengers Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Nicolas Colsaerts.
Rafael Cabrera-Bello fired a round-of-the-day 63 to join Lee Westwood and overnight joint-leader Francesco Molinari two off the pace, with four shots separating the top 11 players.
Race to Dubai leader Henrik Stenson lies eight strokes back in the group including defending champion Rory McIlroy, who found the water at the last on his way to a four-under 68.
Beginning the day one off the lead, Westwood briefly went three strokes clear after birdieing the first and holing out to eagle the next, only to bogey the fourth and three-putt the next from five feet.
Colsaerts claimed top spot after following four gains in a five-hole stretch with an eagle at the seventh, only for Fitzpatrick to reach the turn in 31 and edge one clear.
A final-hole birdie from Cabrera-Bello saw him move alongside his Ryder Cup team-mate on 11 under, before Dubuisson made it a three-way tie with a birdie-three at the 15th.
The Frenchman then moved ahead with a third straight gain at the 16th and temporarily doubled his cushion with a birdie-four at the last, only for Colsaerts to eagle the 18th to get within one.
Hatton and Fitzpatrick posted matching final-hole gains to lift themselves to 12 under, while Westwood birdied three of his final four holes to stay within two of the lead.
Nedbank Golf Challenge winner Alex Noren sits in the group on seven under, one ahead of Ireland's Shane Lowry, while Masters champion Danny Willett struggled to a four-over 76.
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