He made a double-bogey and two bogeys on Saturday, but Thriston Lawrence showed what he is made of by reeling off four birdies in a row to finish the third round of the DP World Tour’s Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at the Belfry with a five-under-par 67.

But for those dropped shots, Lawrence would have been in a share of the lead at 16-under-par through 54 holes, instead of in sole possession of second on 12-under-par, four shots off the lead. He is two shots clear of France’s Jeong weon Ko who is in third on 10-under-par.

Up front, Niklaas Norgaard of Denmark made nine birdies and a bogey on his way to an eight-under-par 64 to take a comfortable cushion into the final round.

Lawrence made a birdie on the first and another on the third before he made his double-bogey on the fourth. He bounced back with a birdie on the fifth, but dropped a shot on the ninth to turn in level-par 36. He sandwiched his second bogey on the 11^th between birdies on 10 and 12, and then he unleashed his run for home with birdies from the 15^th to the 18^th. He nearly holed a sensational approach to the 18^th for that final birdie.

Behind Lawrence, Brandon Stone was unable to replicate his superb second round in any way at all, and he made an eagle, three birdies, five bogeys and a double-bogey on his way to a two-over-par 74. He slipped to seven-over through 54 holes, but was nonetheless still in the top 10 in a share of seventh.

Dylan Frittelli had a third round of one-under 71 to move to one-under for the tournament and a share of 23^rd.

Pieter Moolman was on one-over in a share of 44^th after his three-over 75 and Thomas Aiken was on two-over in a share of 50^th after his third round of 74. Justin Walters had a five-over 77 to slip to four-over for the tournament and a share of 60^th. George Coetzee was on seven-over after his seven-over 79.