Garth Mulroy collected five straight birdies on his back nine to seize the lead with a third-round 64 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship yesterday.

The South African gave himself another chance at a first European Tour title after his late run pushed him to 15 under and two clear of Chile's Felipe Aguilar heading to the final round at Leopard Creek Country Club.

Mulroy's surge to an 8-under 64 saw him take over from compatriot and overnight leader Jbe Kruger, whose four-shot advantage was wiped away when he carded a 1-over 73 on the third day.

Mulroy picked up three birdies on his front nine, went bogey-free for the day and shot to the top of the leaderboard with five straight birdies from Nos. 13 through 17. He parred the last.

Mulroy has twice come close to a maiden European Tour title on home soil, losing a playoff to Richard Sterne at the 2008 Joburg Open and then finishing second to Charl Schwartzel at the same tournament this year.

Kruger mixed four bogeys with three birdies to slip down to a four-way tie for third as Mulroy and Aguilar both jumped ahead of him.

Aguilar was the closest challenger to Mulroy, managing seven birdies alongside four bogeys for a 4-under 68 to go to 13 under.

Scottish pair Peter Whiteford and George Murray and South Africa's Hennie Otto were also tied for third alongside Kruger on 12 under, a shot off Aguilar.

Whiteford matched Mulroy's 64 with six birdies and an eagle to move into contention, while Otto's consistency over the three rounds — shooting 69, 68, 67 — kept him in the running.

Murray held it together after dropping three shots around the turn, fighting back with three birdies late in his round.