Jamie Donaldson regained the lead halfway through the final round of the D+D REAL Czech Masters began as the Welshman looked to cement a Ryder Cup place.
Donaldson started the day two shots behind compatriot Bradley Dredge, but two putted the long first, holed from 15 feet at the second and fired his tee shot to within two feet of the third pin for an opening hat-trick of birdies.
The 38 year old, needing a top-seven finish to secure a Ryder Cup debut next month, turned in a three under 33 to lead by one from Dane Søren Kjeldsen, who matched the World Number 29’s birdies at the second and third after some great approach play.
Dredge, a runner-up in Denmark last week, had slipped to third after following two opening pars with a three-putt bogey at the third.
Donaldson’s drive at the fourth finished behind a tree and, after several club changes, he failed to find the fairway with his second and ran up a bogey.
That allowed Kjeldsen, who claimed the last of his three European Tour titles in Spain five years ago, to take the lead with a birdie from ten feet at the fifth.
Donaldson got back on level terms with a gain from ten feet at the sixth, and although Kjeldsen edged ahead again with a tee shot to six feet at the next, bogeys at the eighth and ninth handed the Welshman a one shot lead at the turn.
South African Merrick Bremner went to the turn in 33 to join Dredge in third place on 11 under.
Another Ryder Cup hopeful, Stephen Gallacher, was in a tie for sixth after two birdies and two bogeys in his first seven holes.
The Scot needs to garner as many Official World Golf Ranking points as possible at Albatross Golf Resort and in next week’s Italian Open - the final qualifying event – in order to try and catch Graeme McDowell, who currently holds the final automatic place on Paul McGinley’s side.
The gap at the top became two when Donaldson started for home with a birdie from 25 feet at the tenth, and at 14 under the two-time European Tour winner was comfortably on course for Gleneagles.
