Shane Lowry is still in contention at the Portugal Masters but must overtake a packed leaderboard on the final day tomorrow.
The 2012 winner could only manage a round of one-under-par made up of four birdies and three bogeys, and included a dropped shot at the last.
The Offaly man sits alongside four others on ten under, four shots off leader Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark.
There are also ten others between one and three shots off the lead at Vilamoura.
The 30-year-old picked up three shots early on recording birdies on holes three, four and five.
There were slip-ups at the ninth and 16th, a birdie on 17, and an unlucky lip-out at the 18th as he signed for a 70.
Defending champion Padraig Harrington is also in with a shout but he mixed three birdies with three bogeys on his even-par round.
The triple major winner is on eight under.
🔴 Birdie
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) September 23, 2017
🔴 Birdie
🔴 Birdie@ShaneLowryGolf's putter is hot 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nAZVBdDa8T
