Dean Burmester kept his head on Saturday as he overcame five bogeys in the third round of the European Tour’s D+D Czech Masters to card a level-par 72 for a share of 12^th to stay within sight of the lead going into the final round.

Although, at seven-under, he is six shots off the lead which is held by Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen at 13-under, Burmester will have the satisfaction of knowing he fought his way out of a tight spot in the third round to keep a glimmer of hope alive.

His frustrating day started with a bogey on the first, and there were four more – on the fifth, ninth, 10^th and 14^th. Frustratingly for a man who is as long off the tee as Burmester is, that bogey on the first and two others were on par-fives, all of which should be providing at least a look at eagle and then a fairly simple par-putt should he miss out on the chances of picking up two strokes.

To his credit, he picked up two birdies coming home, on the 15^th and the 18^th, which enabled him to go into the final round knowing he had rescued himself from a position that could have been even more frustrating.

Jacques Kruyswijk got it to three-under for the third round as he walked off the 10^th. He was at 10-under and within striking distance of the top of the leaderboard. But he made four bogeys – on 11, 14, 15 and 18 – interspersed with just a single birdie on his way home. He, like Burmester, signed for a level-par 72, and, like Burmester, he’s in a share of 12^th.

Brandon Stone carded a two-under 70 to move to five-under for the tournament and a share of 20^th. Daniel van Tonder is in the same position after his third-round three-under 69, while JC Ritchie had a one-under 71 to move to four-under.

Bryce Easton also had a 71 to be one-under for the tournament in a share of 50^th, Darren Fichardt is on level-par after his 72, and Zander Lombard battled to a three-over 75 and a share of 59^th on one-over.

The 31-year-old Pulkkanen produced a stunning 66 at Albatross Golf Resort, carding seven birdies and a single bogey to establish the first 54 hole lead of his European Tour career. But he will have a stellar chasing pack trying to hunt him down on Sunday, with major champion Henrik Stenson and Americans Johannes Veerman and Sean Crocker in a three-way tie for second on 11-under.