Justin Walters will go into the final round of the Betfred British Masters four shots behind leader Thorbjørn Olesen.
The 41-year-old South African shot a third-round 71 to finish Saturday’s third round on seven under.
It was Olesen, though, who put himself in pole position to win his first DP World Tour title in almost four years after a brilliant finish earned him a three-shot lead.
The Dane, whose fifth and most recent DP World Tour title came at the Italian Open in June 2018, followed an eagle at the 17th, one of two in his round, with a closing birdie to card a third-round three-under-par 69 in the Spring sunshine at The Belfry.
The 32-year-old started the day one shot off halfway leader Hurly Long, but after an errant tee shot led to a bogey at the first, he kickstarted his round with a hole-out eagle at the 5th.
Another bogey followed at the 10th, before a brilliant towering second shot into the par-five 17th green set up the simplest of eagles and he then capped his day by rolling in a long-range birdie putt across the 18th green as Richie Ramsay, who held a two-shot lead at the 12th, faltered down the stretch.
England’s Marcus Armitage and Germany’s Long are his nearest challengers at eight under, with Walters, American Chase Hanna, Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti and Olesen’s compatriot Rasmus Højgaard another shot further back.
– Report from DP World Tour website
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
