Fox fired six birdies and no bogeys on a day of unbelievably low scoring at Son Muntaner Golf Club to join Yannik Paul at the top of the leaderboard on 16-under par, with the German having earlier made three eagles and as many birdies in a sparkling 62.

Fox began the week third on the DP World Tour Rankings thanks to victories at the Ras al Khaimah Classic and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and knows a third win in 2022 – and fourth in total – would move him to second in the standings.

No player from New Zealand has ever won three DP World Tour events in a single season but Fox’s form all year makes it a distinct possibility on Sunday.

A confirmed started for both the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open, Fox began his third round with a superb up-and-down for par following an errant tee-shot at the first, avoiding a first bogey since the opening hole on Thursday.

Birdies at the sixth and eighth took Fox to the turn in 33 before back-to-back gains on the 10th and 11th saw him climb to 14-under.

He holed his six-foot birdie putt at the 13th to get within one of Paul before pulling off an impressive par save after missing the green on the short 14th.

A tap-in birdie on the long 17th earned Fox a share of the lead and he had a chance at the last to hit the front on his own but was unable to take it.

“Really solid. I probably only hit two bad shots – the tee-shot at the first and the tee-shot on the 14th,” said Fox.

“I gave myself plenty of chances again. Maybe felt like I left a couple out there but also made a few as well.

“It’s always good to go bogey-free again. It’s probably a record for me that many holes bogey-free so far this week.

“Hopefully I can continue that tomorrow.

“Obviously I’d like to get closer to (Rankings leader) Rory McIlroy and give him a bit of a run but it’s nice knowing going into Dubai that I sort of hold it in my own hands.

“If I can go and win that event I can probably win the Harry Vardon Trophy.

“It’s certainly a position I didn’t expect to be in at the start of the year.

“I’m trying to treat these last couple of events – this one and Nedbank – that I can try to get as close as possible and try to make it a bit more interesting.

“But regardless I’m pretty happy to be here and tomorrow I’ll just go out and do what I’ve done all year, just try to beat the golf course and see what happens.”

Cam Davis is also in pursuit of Rory McIlroy only in a more immediate manner.

Five bogeys in his final six holes saw Davis fall from a share of third to a tie for ninth at The CJ Cup in South Carolina, five shots back of McIlroy (67).

Jason Day returned his third consecutive round of two-under 69 to sit tied for 18th heading into Sunday.

Fox’s fellow Kiwi Lydia Ko is one-shot off the lead at the BMW Ladies Championship in Korea, Aussies Stephanie Kyriacou and Hannah Green tied for ninth and 13th respectively.

There is the prospect of a triple-Kiwi victory on Sunday as Steven Alker sits two shots off the pace at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic.

Alker (65) is 10-under through two rounds, trailing Jerry Kelly (67) by two with Australian Rod Pampling tied for eighth five shots off the lead.