Tied with Jack Wright for the first two days, Taylor responded to a front nine of 2-over 38 with five birdies on the back for a round of 2-under 71 and 7-under total through 54 holes.

He is the only player in the 90-strong field to be under par in each of the first three rounds after Wright dropped seven shots off the lead with a round of 5-over 78 on Wednesday.

Pampling Plate runner-up Dylan Knox (Indooroopilly Golf Club) is the only other player in red figures through three rounds but faces a daunting task to rein in Taylor over the final 18 holes.

A far different looking scorecard to his bogey-free 70 the day before, Taylor credited a brilliant tee shot at the par-3 11th for sparking his back-nine birdie barrage.

“I got off to a bit of a shaky start,” conceded Taylor, who had four bogeys and two birdies on the front nine.

“Made a soft par on one and then I just had a few bad breaks with lies and left the ball in the wrong positions to make pars and give myself looks at birdies on the front.

“I made a good birdie on six from an awkward lie but on 10 I said to Chaz, my caddie, ‘Let’s just play golf.’

“I hit a really good shot into 11 to about two feet and made birdie there. That kicked it off on the back nine.”

Knox played his way into contention with the equal-best round of the day, a 3-under 70.

One-over through eight, Knox also made his move on the back nine at Windaroo Lakes, playing his final 10 holes in 4-under to earn a spot in the final group.

“Riley has a big lead but you never know,” said Knox.

“I had a red-hot putter on the back nine. To have 3-under on that back nine on this course is very satisfying.

“I have been playing well finishing second at the Pampling Plate and riding the wave while it is flowing.”

While many in the field have shied away from using driver in order to find the narrow, twisting fairways, Taylor won’t change his approach despite the advantage he will take into the final round.

“The game-plan’s not going to change. I’m going to play my own game and see what happens,” said Taylor, who is in Year 3 of the Membership Pathway Program.

“I know a lot of the boys have said how tight it is to hit driver but I find that a lot of the holes suit how I hit it.

“Not so much trying to hit it long but I feel comfortable in hitting driver in play around here.”

Matching Knox for round of the day were interstate pair Rhys Tonkin (Keysborough Golf Club) and Brad Doherty (Castle Hill Country Club).

“Was great to get back into contention with a few good-length birdie putts which kept the momentum going,” said Doherty, who is in a tie for fourth with Dylan Gardner (72) and Jack Harrison (71).

“We have seen some big leads over the past few years evaporate around this the Windaroo Lakes layout so the final day will be interesting.”

The final round of the Queensland PGA Associate Championship will begin at 10.40am on Thursday with the final group teeing off at 11.50am.

The 2023 championship marks the fifth year in succession that it has been held in the City of Logan.

Round 3 scores