Rory McIlroy saw his lead cut to one shot as the third round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic got under way at Emirates Golf Club.
The low scoring that has dominated the week continued early in the morning with a host of players moving up the leaderboard as round two was completed, including McIlroy who made five birdies in seven holes.
That gave him a two-shot lead at 15 under but his playing partners Li Haotong and Jamie Donaldson both got within one after four holes.
England's Tyrrell Hatton, Dane Lasse Jensen, Frenchman Alexander Levy and American Pat Perez were then at 13 under.
Perez matched the record of Stephen Gallacher by playing the back nine in eight under par 29.
The 41 year old is playing his second regular event since joining since joining the European Tour as an Affiliate Member in the summer and put himself in contention for a first win with a stunning burst of scoring.
The World Number 17 birdied the tenth and 12th, eagled the 13th and then birdied the 14th to be five under for the day after as many holes. An excellent approach to the 17th brought another birdie and when he put his second to the par five 18th to four feet, he had a second eagle of the day.
That cut McIlroy's lead to one shot but the Northern Irishman hit a booming drive down the second and got up and down from close range to re-establish his cushion.
Perez then dropped a shot on the first to extend McIlroy's lead to three and join an ever-expanding group at 13 under.
Levy joined that pack in spectacular style as - after birdieing the third - he aced the fourth from 171 yards with a nine iron.
The hole-in-one was the second of the week after Matthew Southgate needed just a single blow on the seventh in round two, and third of the season.
Hatton had started his round with four birdies and he added another with an excellent approach to the eighth.
Jensen birdied the second and third to get to 13 under, while Li had made a gain on the third and Donaldson had scrambled two opening pars.
Some bunker trouble for McIlroy meant he could not take advantage of the par five third but both Li and Donaldson made birdies to cut the lead to two shots.
The leader had looked in stunning touch in the early stages but he missed the green with his tee-shot on the fourth and when he failed to get up and down his advantage was back down to one.
Thomas Detry, Branden Grace, David Horsey, Brett Rumford and Andy Sullivan were then at 12 under.
