Jordan Spieth scored an eight-under 65 to move five shots clear at the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
The world number one peppered his card with seven birdies and an eagle, with just one bogey, to top the pile at 24 under and is on course to start the 2016 season with a seventh PGA Tour win.
He took the lead on Friday and now heads Brooks Koepka by five shots, but it was Koepka who enjoyed the best round of the tournament so far, hitting 10 birdies, including six in a row through holes three to eight, in a flawless 63.
First-round leader Patrick Reed is a shot further back at 18 under after a six-under-par 67.
With that trio three shots clear of Brandt Snedeker and Fabian Gomez in tied fourth, it looks like being a three-way for the title on the final day.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington had a minus three third round, but still slipped back one spot to tied twelfth. His third round featured and eagle, three birdies and two dropped shots.
At eleven under he is 13 off the lead and looks highly unlikely to get in the mix during Sunday’s final round.
"To be honest, if I shot eight under I would expect to be seven or eight shots clear,” admitted Speith afterwards. “So for Brooks to get that score is insane.
"I have to go out and hit birdies because I have to expect Brooks and Patrick to fire eight or nine under.
"This is the furthest under par I have been after three rounds and there's no complaints from me on that one, but there are 18 hard holes ahead and the conditions are good so there needs to be more birdies."
American Spieth struck a laser-like second shot from 250 yards at the last, his ball bouncing from short of the green to narrowly miss the flagstick and end up ten feet past the hole from where he coolly drained the eagle putt.
That gave Spieth a superb 65 after 54 holes at the Kapalua Resort, despite not being at his pinpoint best with his iron play for much of a blustery day on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
"I just tried to put a smooth swing on it,” explained the 22-year-old.
"I have to go out and hit birdies because I have to expect Brooks and Patrick to fire eight or nine under." - Jordan Spieth
"It was really nice to get that putt to go in. I think I deserved it on this hole and it gives me a nice little confidence boost into tomorrow."
Spieth would match Tiger Woods with a seventh PGA win before the age of 23 should he triumph on Sunday
Spieth is also on track to beat the tournament record of 31-under set by Ernie Els in 2003. Harrington, above, had been in contention during the first two rounds, but has since fallen back.
