Carl Mason moved effortlessly towards a second PGA Seniors Championship title after a third successive 67.
The 54-year-old was in electric form and goes into tomorrow's final round with a four shot lead over South African John Bland.
"I didn't expect to shoot 67 again today but I must admit I hit a lot of quality shots today and was pleased with the way I played," said Mason.
The in-form Mason is seeking a fourth win of the season including recent successes at the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open and the European Seniors Masters last week but admits the strain of playing in the final group is taking its toll.
"I've played in the last group for the last two days of the last four tournaments and it's beginning to take its toll," he said.
"Mentally it's hard to keep going but thankfully the game's good so that helps."
Mason remains on course for his 18th European Seniors Tour title after a scintillating bout of scoring sparked by an eagle on the 559 yard par 5 second courtesy of a 35 foot putt up two tiers.
"What an eagle that was!" said Mason. "My second shot was a beauty but what a putt that was."
A duffed wedge cost him a bogey on the third but then he hit back with a vengeance to poach four birdies in a row on five, six, seven and eight.
"I hit two lovely woods on the fifth then holed an 18 footer, hit a beautiful drive and eight iron on six, a five iron to 15ft at the par 3 seventh and a nine iron to four feet on the eighth."
Out in 31 Mason birdied 14 then spurned a great chance to get to 17 under after three putting the tricky par four 15th.
"It was a real left to righter and I hit it to firm on the top side but the pin was in a horrible position," he said.
"I then made a great birdie on 16 hitting a low, runny three iron from out under trees got it to 100 yards then wedged it to 12 feet and holed it."
Despite dropping a shot on the last Mason still holds a four stroke advantage and goes out in the final group with Bland (-11) and Rocca (-10).
Scotland's Ross Drummond is at nine under par after a 71 while four players are at eight under including America's Peter Teravainen and Chile's Guillermo Encina who both shot 66s. Defending champion Sam Torrance had a second successive 74 to lie two over for the championship.
Bland was left to reflect on what might have been after making a dreadful double bogey start and then bouncing back with seven birdies while Rocca cursed his fortunes on the green.
"I putted like a dog and missed two many," he said. "I holed one on four but after that nothing.
"On the 10th I hit the ground on the take back and went left. I hit five wood second shot left of green and found a little ditch and played from there and missed from three metres.
"On 11 I had a poor seven iron but made a good chip but the putt lipped out. I need to shoot 61 tomorrow."
Lower down the leaderboard, Kibworth's Bob Larratt, dosed up with painkillers and requiring a pre-round massage to help a pulled muscle in his back, eagled the 412 yard par four 9th courtesy of a beautifully flighted nine iron.
Larratt stands at three under for the tournament after a round of 70, his card blotted only by a bogey on 18.
Another PGA pro to make the cut was Baildon Golf Club's Richard Masters who began the day at two under but after opening with a birdie struggled as he slipped to a two over 74.
"That's the most nervous I've played all week," he said.
"I hit it close on the first for a birdie then made the best par five of my life on the second after snap-hooking it off the tee. I took a penalty drop but hit a seven iron and holed the putt. I thought that might settle me down but it didn't.
"My swing wasn't there today, I didn't know if it was going left or right. It did well to make 74 which is the only positive thing I can take out of it."
Camberley's Glenn Ralph had a 73 while Bramhall Golf Club's Richard Green, savouring his first Seniors Championship cut, had a 75.
"I played good but just didn't hole any putts," he said.
"I loved it but I was just disappointed with the score. I felt I played well enough to get under par but just got a little frustrated around 10 and 11.
"I bogeyed 10 from the middle of the fairway and made three putts from the edge of the green on 11."
Austrian-based Donald Stirling was rueing what he called a blip finish after flirting with par again.
The reigning PGA Senior Club Professional champion had a 73 after late bogeys at 13, 15 and 18.
"It looked like being a decent day and it didn't look like I was going to make a mistake but it wasn't to be," he said.
"I was two under through 13 and playing well but left four shots in the last six holes out there."