Australia's Adam Scott recovered from a shaky start to take a commanding five-shot lead going into tomorrow's final round of the Scottish PGA Championship.
Scott's four-shot overnight advantage was wiped out within the space of six holes as he dropped shots at the third and fourth and local favourite Raymond Russell mounted a charge.
But the 22-year-old produced a grandstand finish with an eagle on the 16th and birdies at the last two holes to card a third-round 67 for a 17-under total of 199.
Compatriot Scott Gardiner will partner Scott in the final round after carding a superb 65 with five birdies in his last six holes, to finish alongside Russell on 12-under.
Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance was two shots further back on 10-under after also eagling the 16th and picking up a birdie at the last for a 69.
Russell, whose only other tour victory came in the 1996 Cannes Open, birdied the second and picked up five more in six holes from the seventh to twice draw level with Scott.
The 30-year-old from Edinburgh currently lies 133rd on the Order of Merit and needs to earn around £40,000 between now and the end of the season to climb into the top 115 on the money list and keep his card for next year.
But the minute's silence observed at 3 p.m. in memory of murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman put such worries firmly to the back of the former Walker Cup player's mind.
"We were on the ninth tee when it was held and that puts it all in perspective, you know you are only playing golf when things like that happen," Russell said.
Ireland’s Philip Walton had a thoroughly disappointing day at the Perthshire venue, squandering a chance to earn a decent, much needed, pay cheque as the Dubliner bids to keep his card.
Walton dropped back to two-under following today’s 76 to find himself alongside the only other Irishman in the field, Des Smyth, who carded a 71.