Tapio Pulkkanen is confident he can convert his first ever 54-hole lead into a maiden European Tour title at the D+D Real Czech Masters on Sunday.
Padraig Harrington is best of the Irish after his round of 70 left him on -5. It could have been much better for Harrington who hit five birdies on his round, but finished with bogeys on the 17th and 18th.
Niall Kearney also hit a 70 to finish the day on -2 but there was no joy for Gavin Moynihan, who played a round of 79 that included five bogeys and two double bogeys.
At the top of the leaderboard Pulkkanen produced a superb 66 to head into the final round two shots clear of a chasing pack that includes Ryder Cup star Henrik Stenson and Americans Johannes Veerman and Sean Crocker.
And he feels he is capable of finishing the job at Albatross Golf Resort on day four.
He said: "Winning of course is always difficult. I feel like I could do it tomorrow.
"I was on top here three years ago, but the wind changed in the middle of the tournament and I didn't have a good strategy for the other wind direction.
"I feel like I can play both aggressive and defensive here this week. I feel like I can win here."
Pulkkanen began the day three shots off the lead but set about closing that gap with a birdie from close range at the par-five first.
The Finn then picked up further shots at the fifth and ninth to reach the turn in 33 and move to 10 under.
Pulkkanen pulled clear at the summit with a stunning birdie putt from 21 feet on the 11th before breathing a sigh of relief at the 12th as his third shot cleared the water with little room to spare.
He would have to settle for a par there but his red-hot putter delivered for him once again on the 13th, where he holed from 17 feet to move to 12 under.
Crocker joined Pulkkanen at the summit courtesy of a hat-trick of birdies from the 10th but there was a two-shot swing in the Finn’s favour as he holed from 15 feet at the par three 16th to get to 13 under and Crocker bogeyed the 13th shortly afterwards.
That restored Pulkkanen’s two-shot advantage but a first bogey of the day on the 17th halved his lead.
He bounced straight back with a close-range birdie at the last, though, to head into the final round on 13 under.
Padraig Harrington is best of the Irish after his round of 70 left him on -5. It could have been much better for Harrington who hit five birdies on his round, but finished with bogeys on the 17th and 18th.
Niall Kearney also hit a 70 to finish the day on -2 but there was no joy for Gavin Moynihan, who played a round of 79 that included five bogeys and two double bogeys.
