Shiv Kapur installed himself as the firm favourite for the season-ending Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour finals with a sensational fightback for a card of five-under 67.
He was spectacular as he recovered from an indifferent start with two bogeys in first four holes to come back with a 67 that put him in a commanding position at 14-under.
He is four shots clear of Will Besseling (68) and five shots ahead of four-man pack in third place. The pack included Andrea Pavan, who was 12-under after 36 holes but dropped down with a 75 in the third.
Kapur started the week in 20th place and needed a strong finish to get into the top-15 and secure his European Tour card for 2014. Kapur has played the least number of events, eight, in the entire field.
He won the first event of the 2013 season on Challenge Tour at the Kensville Challenge in Ahmedabad. But he then played little on Challenge Tour and kept straddling between Asian and European Tour events, where managed some starts.
