Sydney Professional Dale Brandt-Richards is chasing a wire-to-wire victory in the Tahiti International Golf Open having held the lead at the close of each of the first three rounds.

Brandt-Richards fired a third round of 2-under 68 to sit at 8-under par, three strokes clear from Queensland’s Michael Wright and defending champion Callan O’Reilly.

It was O’Reilly who catapulted himself into contention with a 6-under par round of 64 to match the low round for the tournament.

“It all came together today. I kept it in play around the back side and just stayed patient. It’s a great place to play golf and I’m really enjoying myself," O’Reilly, who is chasing back-to-back titles said.

New Caledonian amateur player Morgan Dufour is the best of the Pacific players, sitting in 14th position at 7-over par. Tahiti amateur Maggy Dury lost touch with the leaders in round three to drop back into a tie for 26th position.

The Green Pearl course showed its teeth today with the windy conditions playing havoc on the elevated back-9. The downhill par-5 16th played one of the toughest on the course with a cross wind making it extremely difficult to find the fairway that is flanked by deep jungle on both sides.

Brandt-Richards will join O’Reilly and Wright in the final group of the tournament in a battle for the Tahiti International Golf Open trophy.