England's Ian Poulter takes a two-shot lead into the final round of the Wales Open after a dramatic late collapse raised Phil Price's chances of a home victory in the stg£1.5million event.
Poulter led by six with five holes of his third round to go, but dropped four shots in the next three holes to give the chasing pack hope of collecting the stg£250,000 first prize at Celtic Manor.
The 27-year-old from Milton Keynes held his nerve to birdie the last and card an eventful 68, containing six birdies, an eagle, two bogeys and a double bogey, for a 16-under-total of 200.
And Price matched his playing partner's score with a typically understated round containing four birdies and no dropped shots.
Poulter began the day two shots clear of Welshman Price, the man who just beat him to the last automatic qualifying place for last year's Ryder Cup.
He hit a birdie on the first before an eagle on the second before, six consecutive pars and a birdie on the ninth meant he turned in 32.
But wayward tee shots on the next two holes cost him consecutive bogeys, and with Price having matched his birdie on the 13th and saved par on the 15th, the gap was down to four.
From a fairway bunker on the 16th, Poulter then hit his second shot over the green into very thick rough, and from there he was only able to hack the ball forward a few feet.
Attempting a delicate chip to the green, Poulter then fluffed his next shot a similar distance and after chipping eight feet past, commendably held his nerve to hole out for a double-bogey six.
Price then holed out for a birdie three and a three-shot swing which brought him within one of the lead.
Neither player could find the green in two on the par five 18th, but Poulter played a superb pitch from heavy rough to four feet for a closing birdie.
"Dropping a few shots at the end has given hope to a few others but the way I've been playing golf the last few days, somebody is going to have to do something special to beat me," said Poulter.
"I've probably hit it better today than I have all week. There were a few hiccups on the back nine but I'm striking the ball so purely I'm delighted.
"If I can do the same tomorrow there is no reason why I can't be in the same position going into the back nine."
Price admitted he would have to raise his game on Sunday to overhaul Poulter and claim only his third European Tour title.
"I was pretty pleased with four under but rather than making a lot of birdies I'm not making many mistakes," said Price, who lives just a few miles from the course in Newport. "It was not very exciting out there.
"Ian made a couple of bogeys towards the end to let us all in but I need to make a few more birdies, four under tomorrow is not going to cut it.
"It would be fantastic to win, I've only won twice and that something I need to alter. I want to become a winner, a champion and I have to keep improving until the wins come."
Price was one ahead of Swede Fredrik Jacobson with Australian Jarrod Moseley and Scot Andrew Coltart another stroke back on 12 under.
Moseley had earlier set the clubhouse target after smashing the course record by two shots with a flawless 63.
The 30-year-old raced home in just 30 shots with birdies at the 10th and 11th and each of the last four holes, to card a 63 and 12 under total of 204.
Ireland's Peter Lawrie recovered from yesterday's poor round of 75 with an impressive 67 to leave himself on six under.
The Dubliner carded a bogey free round to steady the ship, having shot a 68 on the opening day.
Graeme McDowell maintained his consistent but unspectacular form with a 72, having shot the same yesterday and a 70 on day one to sit on two under.
The Ulsterman recovered well from four bogies on the front nine to birdie four on the back nine and finish level for the day.
Gary Murphy was not so dogged however in his attempt to recover from yesterday's 74 as he carded a 77, with a triple bogey on the 14th and a double on the 8th doing irreparable damage.