David Lipsky opened up a one-shot lead as the final European Tour round of 2018 got under way at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
The American entered day four at Leopard Creek Country Club a shot behind Scott Jamieson but a birdie-birdie start moved him to 12 under as the Scotsman played his first three holes in level par.
Defending champion Brandon Stone was then at ten under, a shot clear of another South African in Zander Lombard and Frenchman Raphaël Jacquelin.
David Drysdale, Ben Evans and Pablo Larrazábal were four shots off the lead.
Stone found sand off the tee but played a wonderful bunker shot to tap-in range for an opening birdie, with Lombard following him in from 18 feet for a gain of his own.
Lipsky put his approach on the first to two feet to join the lead, while Jamieson did well to get up and down after finding a bunker off the tee and spinning his second off the green.
Evans holed a long putt for eagle on the par-five second and had another look after driving the sixth but had to settle for a birdie to get to eight under, where he was joined by Jacquelin and Larrazábal who both birdied the second.
Stone layed up on the par five but played an excellent approach and he was into double figures and within one of the lead.
The leading duo then both took advantage of the second and they were two shots ahead of the rest.
Jacquelin made a birdie from four feet on the fourth to move alongside Lombard and he was replaced at eight under by Drysdale, who holed a very long putt on the fifth.
Jamieson missed the green on the third and dropped to 11 under and when Lipsky got up and down from a bunker for par, he led on his own.
Oliver Wilson and Niklas Lemke were at seven under.
Australian Deyen Lawson made the second hole-in-one of the season with an eight iron from 167 yards on the 16th.
Having just eagled the 15th, he took the aggressive option to a pin position bringing the water into play and won himself a BMW 850 M.
