Shane Lowry holds a share of the lead ahead of the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The Offaly man shot a six-under-par 66 to move up to 13-under-par and grab a share of the lead with Min Woo Lee.
Lowry and Lee are atop of a stacked leaderboard, with 51-year-old Padraig Harrington just two shots back on 11-under-par after a sizzling third round of 64.
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Offaly man Lowry birdied the par-five 2nd hole before sensationally holing his second shot from 155 yards on the par-four sixth hole.
Further birdies would follow on the par five 7th hole and the par four 9th hole to see the 2019 Open champion make the turn in 31 strokes.
But he often cut a frustrated figure on the back nine as the birdies dried up for the Clara man.
After bogeying the par three 17th hole, Lowry slammed his driver into the ground after thinking he found the fairway bunker off the last hole.
It turned out his ball was on the rough at the edge of the bunker and he couldn't advance it far down the par five hole with his second shot.
But with his third shot he manufactured a sweeping draw with a long iron to set up an eight footer for birdie which he holed for a 66.
Asked about the closing birdie, Lowry said: "It felt great to be honest, especially after 17. I didn't really hit that bad a shot on 17 but it just never really moved on the wind.
"It was one of the only times I was out of position all day, really. So you kind of have to take that.
"Then I was out of position again off the tee on the 18th hole. To be honest I was just thinking about making a par to stay in the tournament but it was a Brucie bonus to make a birdie there.
He continued: "First tournament of the year you don't really know what's going to happen. My thing would be to try to give myself as many chances to win as I can and at some stage hopefully it happens.
"Tomorrow I have a chance to do something special. Hopefully I can bring the game I've brought the last few days and roll in a few putts as well."
The 35-year-old is looking to win the championship for a second time after his triumph in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
To do so he will have to fend off the challenge of his compatriot and friend Padraig Harrington.
Harrington is bidding to become the oldest winner in the history of the DP World Tour by eclipsing Miguel Angel Jimenez's current record of 50 years and 133 days.
After opening the tournament with a four-under-par 68, he struggled to a one-over-par 73 in his second round.
Needing a fast start on moving day, Harrington found the par-five 2nd hole in two strokes to make his first birdie of the day.
He found the right rough with his opening two shots on the par-four 6th hole, Harrington then chipped in for birdie.
Making the turn in 34 strokes, the Dubliner then really caught fire to birdie sixth holes in succession starting on the par five 11th hole.
Harrington hit his approach shot on the par three 17th hole to sixteen feet to extend his birdie run to seven holes, but he had to settle for a par.
After finding the fairway on par-five 18th hole, Harrington got his long shot within pitching distance of the green.
He left his pitch shot under the hole but was unable to convert the 13 foot putt and had to settle for eight-under-par 64.
Speaking after the round, Harrington said that patience was the key.
"When good things are happening to you on the golf course it's a lot easier to be patient and wait for your run.
"I didn't even know that I made six birdies on the back nine. It's just nice."
Asked to explain his longevity in the game, Harrington had a typically comprehensive answer.
He told Sky Sports: "The game has changed and will be changing forward. I would have been one of the first guys who started in the era of Tiger's big money to have a full-time physio and a full-time trainer.
"I would have looked after myself all the time. Just a different lifestyle and I think there's a lot of players who will get to 50 years of age fitter and stronger.
"The biggest problem is burnout. I was burnt out five years ago. I'm out here because I've nothing else to do.
"I've figured out that this is what I like doing and I'm good at it. There's no point trying to do something else that I'll have never be as good at as I am at golf.
"So why not find a way of loving golf again. It did help me a lot on the Champions Tour but even before then I realised I needed to change my golfing personality."
He added: "I was in contention a lot last year and I feel comfortable in having a chance and taking on the shots."
While without a win on the DP World Tour since the 2016 Portugal Masters, the three-time major champion won four times on the PGA Tour Champions last season to rediscover the winning feeling.
And he skipped the season opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship on the Champions Tour to take his chance against the young guns in Abu Dhabi.
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