Thorbjørn Olesen put himself in pole position to win his first DP World Tour title in almost four years after a brilliant finish earned him a three-shot lead going into the final round of the 2022 Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett.
The Dane, whose fifth and most recent DP World Tour title came at the Italian Open in June 2018, followed an eagle at the 17th, one of two in his round, with a closing birdie to card a third-round three-under-par 69 in the Spring sunshine at The Belfry.
Olesen, 32, started the day one shot off halfway leader Hurly Long, but after an errant tee shot led to a bogey at the first, he kickstarted his round with a hole-out eagle at the fifth.
Another bogey followed at the tenth, before a brilliant towering second shot into the par-five 17th green set up the simplest of eagles and he then capped his day by rolling in a long-range birdie putt across the 18th green as Richie Ramsay, who held a two-shot lead at the 12th, faltered down the stretch.
England’s Marcus Armitage and Germany’s Long are his nearest challengers at eight under, with American Chase Hanna, Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti, South Africa’s Justin Walters, Olesen’s compatriot Rasmus Højgaard and Scotland's Ramsay another shot further back.
Olesen held a share of the lead after the first round but relied on his short-game and putting on day two to remain firmly in contention at the halfway stage, while he struggled to produce his best from off the tee at the outset on Saturday.
After beginning his round with a bogey, Olesen followed three pars with a brilliant eagle at the fifth from the rough, before a series of important par saves helped him turn in 35.
But he found the penalty area with his tee shot at the short par-four tenth which resulted in a second bogey at the day.
After a run of six consecutive pars, Olesen nearly holed his approach shot into the 17th hole for an albatross as his ball finished three feet away from the pin but it was good enough to see him take a two-shot lead.
And that advantage was improved at the last as he rolled in a birdie putt from 23 feet to head into the final round in command.
"It was a very nice way to finish," Olesen said. "Great shot on 17 and obviously a great putt on 18. It was obviously a bit of a fight out there. I am just happy I stuck on out there and kept being aggressive the whole way around.
"I know how hard it is to win out here, it never comes easy so that is important [knowledge]. My attitude today was really good. If I can keep staying aggressive and not worrying too much then that is very important. It is always really difficult to win, you have to go out there and get it."
Armitage holed from long range at the last for a par to the applause of the large crowds to card for a two under 70, while Long made three birdies in his last six holes to shoot a 71 after five bogeys in his first 12 had left him at five under.
Ramsay dropped three shots in his last seven holes as he shot a 73, while Højgaard carded a level-par 72 that featured three birdies, a bogey and an eagle as Walters, who the Dane beat in a play-off to win the ISPS HANDA UK Championship at The Belfry in 2020, bogeyed the last for a 73.
Challenge Tour Graduate was the biggest mover of the day as a flawless 66 saw him jump into contention, with Zanotti alongside the American after a 69 that included four birdies and an eagle.
