Queenslander Raymond Beaufils has fought his way to a three shot lead at the SP Brewery PNG Open with one round remaining in the tournament.

Saturday’s third round at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club was the hottest day of the week so far making Beaufils round of 5-under 67 all that more impressive.

“I don’t know if I handled the heat, I felt pretty flat on the back-9,” said Beaufils, who struggled through the stifling hot day.

“I said to my playing partner Dan (Nisbet) on 10 I’m not sooking, I’m just not feeling good. I made some great saves and just hung in there. I was just thinking about breathing and concentrating on everything but the shot and then just committing. That is what got me there in the end.”

Beaufils started the day three shots behind the leaders on 5-under par, he fired 5-under the card in his final hive hole to hold a comfortable three shot buffer heading in to the final round.

“I’m very happy with the finish there, it’s probably the best finish I’ve ever had. Adding the heat to it and how I was feeling, it was easily the best finish I’ve ever had to a round of golf.”

Here in the field as a tournament invite and with no status on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, Beaufils said he’s given no thought to possibly securing a spot to play through to the end of 2018.

“To be honest the only thought on my mind is just how I’m going to hydrate and cool down, it’s just too hot to think about anything else,” Beaufils added.

The lead changed hands several times in a day where the where top spot was shared by up to six players at one point.

Four Professional are tied 2^nd on 7-under par; Queenslander’s Brett Rankin, Tim Hart and Cory Crawford as well as New South Welshman Adam Stephens.

Mitch Brown (NSW) shot 5-under 67 to be tied 6th with Josh Younger (VIC), Daniel Nisbet (QLD), Anthony Quayle (QLD), Damien Jordan (QLD) and James Marchesani (VIC).

The final round of the SP Brewery PNG Open tees off at 9:45am AEST with the final group of Ray Beaufils, Brett Rankin and Adam Stephens on course at 11:15am AEST.

The SP Brewery Papua New Guinea Golf Open will be played from 4-7 May at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club in Royal Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea with the field vying for a prize purse of AU$142,000.

The winner will receive Official World Golf Ranking Points and become fully exempt on to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia for the remainder of this season plus a further season.

For scores from round 3 please visit pga.org.au.

For all round 4 tee times please visit pga.org.au.