New Zealander Daniel Pearce extended his REBEL Sport Masters lead by two shots in round three at Wainui Golf Club but Australian Matthew Millar is hot on his heels.

The winds at Wainui reached their peak on moving day and tested the field of 55 players with only four finishing their rounds under par.

Pearce shot 2-under 69 in round three to be 9-under the card heading in to the final round.

“I had a pretty up and down round but it’s always good to be in the lead,” said Pearce.

“I stuck to a very similar game plan to my last two days but obviously I had to play a couple of different clubs off tees with the way the winds were.

“I’ve hit a lot of 6-irons and 7-irons this week just to get in play and give myself a shot at the green.”

In 2017, Millar chased down runaway leader Pearce at the Coca-Cola QLD PGA Championship in Toowoomba forcing a thrilling three-hole playoff that the big hitting Kiwi eventually won for his first Professional victory.

The scene is set for a replay with just two shots separating the pair, only this time Pearce and Millar will play 18 holes together in the leading group tomorrow.

When asked if he had another six-hole playoff in him this week, Pearce said he would be looking to finish within regulation play tomorrow.

“I’ll definitely be trying to get it done before any extra holes but whatever happens happens,” added Pearce.

Millar shot the round of the day, 4-under 67 seeing him outright second and just two shots behind Pearce at 7-under the card.

“I was pretty solid today, not too many mistakes,” said Millar.

“The wind was in a slightly different direction early on which just made those opening holes on the front-9 a little tougher.

“I was happy just to get through the first couple and give myself a chance to build on that. I then made the turn with a couple of birdies.”

Millar said he too would look to avoid another marathon playoff between the pair when the REBEL Sport Masters comes to a close tomorrow.

“It’ll be interesting for Pearcey (Daniel Pearce) and I coming off what happened in Toowoomba last year,” Millar laughed.

“I’ll just continue to do what I’ve been doing; obviously he has been playing good golf and a couple of other lads up the leaderboard as well.

“I just need to keep building on my rounds and we’ll see what happens.”

Peter Fowler who shot a round of even par today is still within striking distance at 5-under the card in a tie for third with Nick Coxon.

Ryan Chisnall of New Zealand rounds out the top-5, two further shots back on 3-under the card.

Round three tees off at 8:30am local time with leaders Daniel Pearce and Matthew Millar off the 1st tee at 10:40am.

Entry is free to the public for the final round of the REBEL Sport Masters at Wainui Golf Club.