Despite bogeys at the 12th and 17th holes, the Sydneysider was able to card a four under 66 to reach 15 under and maintain his four-stroke advantage over South Australian pro, Lachlan Barker.

“Everything was working well for the first 11 holes,” Gale said. “Then we went out after the second delay and momentum sort a stumbled a little bit and just couldn’t get anything going and had two bogeys in the last seven holes.

“If you had of said at the start of the day, will you take 66, I would, of course. Even though I got it going early, I shaved a lot of edges, and it could have really been something special.”

Sitting on a lead won’t change Gale’s aggressive game plan for the final round to be played across Royal Melbourne’s East Course on Thursday.

“Sitting on top of the leaderboard is the position you want to be in,” Gale smiled. “That’s what all that hard work is for.

“It will just be another day of golf really. I’ve never seen the East Course, I’ll do a bit of research tonight and see if there is any knowledge I can pick up heading into tomorrow. Just looking forward to getting out there and doing my thing.

“I won’t be thinking about taking the trophy until after the 72nd hole and if I’m in the lead, that’s when I’ll be thinking about it.”

Lachlan Barker will start the final round four shots from the lead. PHOTO: Paul Shire.

Gale and Barker (66) will be the final pairing out in the last round.

Earlier in the day, reigning TPS Hunter Valley Champion Brett Coletta and gun Victorian amateur Phoenix Campbell lowered the Yarra Yarra Golf Club course record by a stroke as each carded a seven-under-par 63.

Coletta, 27, had a flawless round with five birdies and an eagle two on the par-4 17th hole to reach 63, while Campbell – who won the Queensland PGA last month – made eight birdies and threw one bogey into the mix.

“I just didn’t make any big mistakes. I’ve had a bit of a habit lately of putting a high number on the scorecard and today I kept it really in check,” said Coletta, who now owns three course records including a 61 in the final round at Cypress Lakes earlier this year to win the Hunter Valley event.

“Nothing was outstanding I just played really solid golf.”

The record rounds of Campbell and Coletta has elevated them to a share of third place alongside experienced campaigner Matt Griffin (67). The trio will start the final round seven shots behind tournament leader Gale.

Campbell’s stellar round sees him leading the men’s amateur event by four strokes from Queensland’s Quinn Croker (71), with another Sandbelt local, Lukas Michel, a further two shots on two under.

Jazy Roberts plays from a fairway bunker late in her round of 71. PHOTO: Paul Shire.

The women’s professional trophy will be a hotly contested final round with Heather Lin and Robyn Choi locked at the top of the leaderboard on four under, and six strokes clear of Claire Shin in outright third.

In the women’s amateur event, a six under 66 from Gold Coast teenager Sarah Hammett and a four under 68 from South Australian Caitlin Peirce has narrowed the leading margin of Bendigo teenager Jazy Roberts (71) to one and two strokes respectively.

Roberts had reached nine under for the tournament through her first nine holes but three back nine bogeys and a lone birdie in the high winds after the second weather delay saw her drop to seven under but a leader by one.