Paul Dunne began his 25th birthday celebrations with a lowest score of his week in taking Route 66 on day three of the UBS Hong Kong Open.
Dunne went into the third round of the co-sanctioned event only just making the halfway cut with a pair of 71s for a two-over par tally on the suburban Fanling course.
He kick-started his third day with four straight pars before sandwiching a sixth hole birdie in between bogeys and five and seven.
Then for a second occasion in three days he birdied the short par four 10th hole before muscling his way up the board thanks to birdies at 13, 15 and 17.
Though also for a seond time in three rounds Dunne walked off 18 with a bogey to head to the scorer’s hut with a four-under par tally.
The effort saw the Wicklow golfer jump 25 places and into a tie for 31st ahead of his 25th birthday and the last round of his year.
India’s unsung SSP Chawrasia contined to lead the field and will take a one-shot lead at 10-under into the closing day.
The 30-year old added a 69 to his earlier scores of 65 and 69 as he looks to secure a fifth European Tour victory but a first outside of his homeland.
“I’m missing a couple of putts but still one under, I’m happy,” said Chawrasia. “Still one more round so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
“It’s a little bit of added pressure but I can manage that a little bit. That’s why sometimes I think I’m missing a couple of putts but I will think tomorrow, ‘I can do something’.
“If I feel nervous the other players also will be nervous but I’m okay. I’m playing many times in the same conditions so I’m all right.”
Two players – Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello and the reigning Scottish Open champion (65), along with Australia’s Wade Ormsby (64) – are next best at nine-under par.
A shot further back is newly-crowned European No. 1 Tommy Fleetwood (66) and sharing fourth place at eight-under.
Round three scores:
200 S Chawrasia (Ind) 65 66 69,
201 W Ormsby (Aus) 68 68 65, R Cabrera Bello (Esp) 69 68 64,
202 T Fleetwood (Eng) 68 68 66, A Björk (Swe) 69 66 67, T Detry (Bel) 67 69 66,
203 P Peterson (USA) 70 68 65,
204 C Hanson (Eng) 71 66 67, J Suri (USA) 68 67 69, D Frittelli (RSA) 71 65 68, M Kinhult (Swe) 67 69 68, M Shin (USA) 67 69 68,
205 P Saksansin (Tha) 67 68 70, S Crocker (USA) 69 70 66, J Morrison (Eng) 71 66 68, J Rose (Eng) 68 69 68, T Jaidee (Tha) 68 71 66, J Lagergren (Swe) 69 66 70,
206 S Garcia (Esp) 69 71 66, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 70 68 68, S Brazel (Aus) 69 71 66, M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 66 73 67, C Sordet (Fra) 71 71 64, J Donaldson (Wal) 67 69 70, S Sharma (Ind) 66 71 69, C Paisley (Eng) 71 70 65,
207 P Waring (Eng) 71 68 68, T Aiken (RSA) 69 64 74, J Choi (Kor) 69 72 66, L D’Souza (am) (Hkg) 72 70 65,
208 P Oriol (Esp) 72 68 68, R Wannasrichan (Tha) 72 69 67, P Dunne (Irl) 71 71 66, B Leong (Mas) 70 71 67,
209 L Haotong (Chn) 68 69 72, R Karlsson (Swe) 72 68 69, R Evans (Eng) 71 69 69, N Bertasio (Ita) 73 69 67, M Jiménez (Esp) 70 69 70, R Khan (Ind) 71 68 70, D Chia (Mas) 68 71 70,
210 R Rock (Eng) 69 73 68, C Pigem (Esp) 71 68 71, A Que (Phi) 67 71 72, W Lin (Tpe) 69 71 70, E Molinari (Ita) 71 67 72, S Barr (Aus) 75 67 68, S Brown (Eng) 72 70 68, Y Chang (Kor) 69 70 71, M Manassero (Ita) 72 69 69, S Yongcharoenchai (Tha) 71 68 71,
211 G Green (Mas) 69 68 74, A Chesters (Eng) 71 70 70, G Havret (Fra) 69 70 72, H Tanihara (Jpn) 72 69 70,
212 C Hung (Tpe) 72 69 71, L Wenchong (Chn) 71 71 70, K Horne (RSA) 67 69 76, M Kumar (Ind) 72 70 70,
213 H Varner Iii (USA) 69 71 73, T Pilkadaris (Aus) 68 71 74,
214 S Chien (USA) 72 69 73, A Da Silva (Bra) 70 72 72, B Neil (Sco) 71 71 72,
215 W Ashun (Chn) 74 68 73, P Pittayarat (Tha) 73 69 73,
216 S Hend (Aus) 73 67 76, R Gouveia (Por) 70 72 74,
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