On a day in which South Australian Jak Carter was the big winner courtesy of a hole-in-one at the par-3 17th that netted him a $50,000 Subaru Cross-Trek, Eccles holed out for eagle at the par-4 16th to highlight his round of 6-under 66 and 19-under total.

Kiwi Kit Bittle flirted with the course record before signing for an 8-under 64 to share second with South Australian Lachlan Barker (65) at 13-under par.

Victorian Charlie Robbins (12-under) remains in the hunt thanks to a round of 3-under 69 at Kalgoorlie Golf Course on Saturday with Haydn Barron (68), Harrison Crowe (68) and Quinn Croker (73) all tied for fifth at 11-under.

Eccles sent a shockwave through Australian golf when as a 20-year-old amateur he converted a four-shot lead into a three-shot victory at the 2015 NSW Open.

Eight years on, Eccles has experienced the highs and lows of professional golf but has returned to the PGA Tour of Australasia rejuvenated and ready to win again.

“I feel like if you don’t have the belief that you can do it, then what’s the point in competing?” said Eccles.

“Twenty-year-olds think they’re invincible and I fell into that trap.

“I’ve had a lot of experience over the last eight years so I’m just going to draw on that tomorrow and see how we go.”

A one-stroke leader through 36 holes, Eccles had to be patient early in his third round.

His only birdie in his first six holes came at the short par-4 third but he picked up shots at seven and nine to turn in 3-under.

He moved to 4-under on his round with a birdie at the par-5 11th but separated himself from the field with a special lob wedge from 70 metres that hopped twice before nestling into the cup on 16.

“I just wanted to keep it in the right section on the 16th green,” said Eccles of his hole-out eagle.

“Landed in the right spot and went in on the third bounce. You take it when it comes.”

Eccles’ closest challengers know they will need to back up Saturday’s fireworks with something similar on Sunday to rein him in.

Bittle and Barker both sparked their rounds with long-range birdie putts at the par-3 fourth, Bittle just missing a chance to match the Kalgoorlie low of 9-under 63 on his final hole.

Given he’ll start the final round six shots adrift, Bittle knows he needs to at least match his effort on Saturday to be a chance.

“It was all the putter really,” Bittle said of his 64. “I hit 16 greens today and hit 11 in two and managed to roll that in for eagle from 16 feet.

“I’m going to try and see if I can hit more greens tomorrow – I’ll see if I can hit 17 – and if the putter works, I might have a chance.”

Winner of the season-opening PNG Open in May, Barker is already playing with house money and is not afraid to take an aggressive approach into Sunday’s final round.

“It’s the kind of golf course where if you’re not on you can have 5, 6-over any day of the week. But when the conditions are nice like today, there’s someone going low,” said Barker, who is currently third on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

“Why not me? Why not tomorrow?”

Saturday ‘s third round also marked the first round of the Road to the Outback Challenge for 34 amateurs and Round 1 of the CKB WA PGA All Abilities Championship.

Victorious last week at the WA Open and ninth at the Queensland PGA Associate Championship in Brisbane mid-week, Lachlan Wood will take a one-shot lead into the final round following a 1-over 73.

Cameron Pollard trailed by as many as seven shots late on the front nine but played the back nine in 3-under to draw within one by day’s end.

WA PGA Championship Round 3 scores

WA PGA Championship Round 4 draw

WA PGA All Abilities Championship Round 1 scores

WA PGA All Abilities Championship Round 2 draw