Scott Hend will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Omega European Masters after an impressive third-round 65 at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club.
The Australian came into day three a shot off the lead but established a three-shot cushion on the back nine before a late surge from Alex Noren and a bogey on the last cut his advantage.
Noren fired a 66 to get to 12 under and will head into Sunday a single shot behind Hend as both men hunt a second European Tour title of the season.
Richard Bland was then at ten under after a 69, a shot clear of Alejandro Cañizares, Mikko Ilonen, Andrew Johnston and Romain Langasque.
Hend has enjoyed an excellent 2016 so far, winning the True Thailand Classic Presented by Chang and then representing his country at the Men's Olympic Golf Competition.
"I played really nice golf," he said. "I left a few shots out there but made a couple of par saves which made up for it. It was unfortunate on 18 when my ball managed to run between the bunkers down the cart path.
"One shot clear is better than none. I just want to play solid golf again and hopefully hole some more putts and see where we end up.
"Hopefully Alex and I can forge ahead and create a gap between us and the field and battle it out on the back nine.
"I should have won more. I had chances to win more but I've only won twice. I'm hungry to win more than twice or three times or more than four. I want to win as many times as I can."
Noren was not in the Swedish team in Rio de Janeiro but he too has had a summer to remember, with three top tens in his last five events - including a win at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
One shot clear is better than none. I just want to play solid golf again and hopefully hole some more putts and see where we end up - Scott Hend
Hend soon hit top spot with a birdie on the tough first before joint overnight leader Langasque moved away with two birdies - highlighted by a chip-in on the fifth.
The 43 year old played a smart iron off the tee at the sixth and put an approach to eight feet to get to double figures, and when Langasque dropped a shot after getting semi-plugged in a bunker on the same hole, the gap was closed.
Hend may have reined in his power on the sixth, but he drove the green on the next and got down in two for birdie before producing a 60-foot putt from the fringe on the eighth green to get to 12 under and open up a two-shot lead.
Noren joined the group two back with a birdie on the ninth but gave it straight back on the tenth while Hend picked up a birdie to sit four ahead of the 34 year old.
The 2009 champion cut the gap to three with a birdie on the 14th and after both men took advantage of the next, Noren rolled in a 50-footer on the 17th to edge closer.
Both men were in trouble down the right off the 18th tee but Noren made his par while Hend bogeyed to leave things finely poised.
Englishman Bland birdied the third but gave the shot back after going out of bounds on the 14th before making a smart gain on the penultimate hole.
Finn Ilonen was four over for the day after five holes but bounced back with six birdies including a closing pair, while Spaniard Cañizares also had a big finish, picking up three shots in his final four holes in a 68.
Frenchman Langasque followed those two early gains with just one more and three bogeys, with England's Johnston making three birdies and dropping a single shot.
Scot David Drysdale fired the low round of the day with a 64 and he was at eight under alongside German Florian Fritsch and Australia's Richard Green.
