Tommy Fleetwood stayed in contention to retain his Race to Dubai title as fellow Englishman Matt Wallace led the way at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Wallace hit a bogey-free 65 to lead by one shot into the weekend at the Jumeirah Golf Estates as he bids for a fourth European Tour title of the year.
Meanwhile Fleetwood's solid 67 helped him move ahead of Francesco Molinari in the race to be crowned Europe's No. 1.
Fleetwood, who must win the tournament to ensure he retains his Race to Dubai title, holed from 30 feet on the first and added another long putt on the eighth for birdie.
He briefly took a share of the lead with good approaches at the 10th and 11th, before another birdie at the 15th capped a good day for the Englishman, who finished on 8-under, three short off Wallace in the lead.
"It's still a very difficult task to win the Race to Dubai," Fleetwood said.
"I've had chances and missed them so am still trying to knock on that door and win a tournament, the same as everybody is.
"There's so many different things going on, but the situation is pretty black and white. Just keep going and put everything into it for another two days."
Fleetwood was helped by the faltering Molinari, who dropped to eight shots behind with an inconsistent round.
The Italian began well, adding to his overnight lead from Fleetwood with a birdie at the second, but lost his way after the turn with bogeys at the 13th, 15th and 16th to drop down and away from the top five position, which would guarantee him the Race to Dubai title.
On a day when the lead changed hands repeatedly, Wallace, who was fined for slow play on Thursday, opened with back-to-back birdies, holing a long putt at the first and taking advantage of the makeable par-five at the second.
He added further birdies at the 5th and 7th to stay joint top of the leaderboard, and then jumped back in front by sinking a 25-footer on the 11th, before gaining two more shots after perfect approaches at the 13th and 14th to finish the day clear on 11-under.
Spain's Adrian Otageui recovered from a bogey on the first, holing an 18-foot putt on the 11th in a round of 68 to stay a shot behind on 10-under.
Jordan Smith hit a fine 68 to finish alongside Otageui and Danny Willett holed four birdies in a row from the 6th to also tie for second.
Patrick Reed is one shot further back on nine-under after an entertaining round alongside old rival Rory McIlroy.
Reed's excellent approach-play secured four consecutive birdies at the turn from the 8th to the 11th and he added another birdie on the last.
McIlroy is one shot further back on eight-under but the Northern Irishman missed chances to move closer to the lead, making seven birdies and nearly finding a hole in one at the par-three sixth.
South African Dean Burmester hit a bogey-free 65 to join McIlroy and Fleetwood three shots back, and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat picked up five shots after the turn to also finish on eight-under.