England's David Horsey and Scotland's Craig Lee are part of a six-way tie for the lead after the third round of the Tshwane Open in South Africa.
Lee carded a four-under-par 66, the joint lowest round of the day, to set the clubhouse target on nine under par and looked on as none of the later starters were able to overhaul him at Pretoria Country Club.
Horsey held the outright lead after three birdies and one bogey in his first 12 holes, but bogeyed the 17th to card a second consecutive 69, while overnight leader Adrian Otaegui struggled to a 72.
Last week's Africa Open winner Trevor Fisher Jnr recovered from four bogeys in his first seven holes to post a 69 and was joined in the lead by fellow South Africans Wallie Coetsee and George Coetzee, who is a member of the club and won his first junior competition here aged 10.
Darren Clarke is five shots behind the leaders after a two under par 68.
Clarke recovered from a double-bogey six on the second hole to record four birdies overall.
Michael Hoey also hit a double-bogey, on the 11th, but four birdies following an opening-hole bogey saw him card a 69 and take a share of 34th on two under.
Otaegui, who is a protege of former Masters champion and 2012 Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal, was two shots clear after a second round of 62 but dropped his first shot on the front nine all week when he bogeyed the third.
The 22-year-old responded with birdies from close range on the sixth and eighth and looked in position to pick up another shot on the par-five ninth when his second shot bounded through the green, only to duff two chips and eventually card a bogey six.
Further bogeys followed on the 10th and 13th and although he birdied the 15th, Otaegui also dropped a shot on the 16th after his tee shot flew over the green.
Lee, who is still seeking his first European Tour title, said: "I'm delighted. It's one of those courses if you can get it going you can go quite low, as guys have done this week, but it does not take much to be off line and you really get punished so to knock it round in four under was a great score.
"I'm still making a couple of silly mistakes but all in all delighted with the game, it's gradually getting better and better and almost in a position where I am really happy with it."
Horsey, whose last victory came in the Russian Open last year, added: "I struggled a bit with distance control, hit a lot of good shots at flags but sometimes 10 or 12 (yards) past or short.
"It was difficult to get it close and if you are not within 15 feet you are not realistically making birdies. I made a couple of silly mistakes on the back nine but I am reasonably pleased with how I'm playing.
"It's anyone's tomorrow. I need to try and get it a bit closer and make some putts."
Coetzee admitted his knowledge of the course has been an advantage, but added: "A lot of the holes I actually have to play with a different game-plan because my aggressive birdie or bogey attitude wouldn't work in a European Tour event."
