A three-time winner on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, Fox will begin the final round at St Andrews four strokes back of runaway leader Richard Mansell (67) and in a share of second with Alex Noren (69) and Daniel Gavins (67).

Currently seventh on the DP World Tour order of merit, Fox arrived in Scotland with a heavy heart.

He and Warne had been regular teammates in the pro-am format in recent years, the Australian cricket great’s passing in March creating a great sense of loss for Fox and millions of others around the world.

And now, on the back of a seven-under 65 at Kingsbarns on Saturday, Fox is looking for some divine intervention to complete what would be an emotional victory.

“With Shane Warne passing this year, the tournament means a little bit extra for me this year,” said Fox, who will be one of the star attractions at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open this summer.

“Hopefully he’s with me tomorrow and we can make a nice little charge.”

A winner earlier this season at the Ras al Khaimah Classic, Fox is fighting back after a mid-season dip in form.

That and a knee injury has seen Fox miss two cuts and withdraw after Round 1 of the BMW PGA Championship in his past three starts, his affinity with the Old Course at St Andrews providing the chance to get his season back on track.

“It’s been a bit of a funny few weeks for me. I haven’t been playing that well,” Fox conceded.

“It’s obviously hard to keep playing well. A little dip there was a little frustrating but hopefully this is a sign of it picking backup and to be in contention again was really, really nice.

“(St Andrews) is a special place regardless of when you’re playing it, but being one of the last couple groups on Sunday and in the mix, is very cool.”

Just two Aussies survived the 54-hole cut, David Micheluzzi (70) to start the final round in a tie for 30th, two strokes ahead of Queenslander Maverick Antcliff (72, T47).

Fox’s fellow New Zealander Daniel Hillier is in the hunt for a second straight Challenge Tour title in France, two shots from the lead in a share of second at the Hopps Open de Provence.

Anthony Quayle is tied for sixth but nine strokes from leader Yuto Katsuragawa at the Japan Golf Tour’s Tokai Classic, Scott Strange’s tie for 10th is the best of the Australians heading into the final round of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Robyn Choi (75) has fallen to a tie for sixth at the Epson Tour’s Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic in Alabama.