England’s Chris Wood produced a spectacular display of golf to establish himself as a serious contender for the Qatar Masters on Friday.

Looking for his first victory since turning pro in 2008, the 25-year-old stroked a fluent 64 to carry a three-shot advantage over the trio of compatriot Simon Khan (64), Swede Alexander Noren (66) and New Zealander Michael Campbell (68) into Saturday’s final round.

Australian Marcus Fraser, the joint overnight leader with three other players, endured three bogeys in a round of 71 to five strokes from the lead.

In near-perfect conditions, Wood, best known for his challenges at the 2008 and 2009 British Open, shot past the front nine in 31, consolidating his position with an eight foot eagle on the 548-yard tenth.

He then suffered a hiccup on the 12th, which he bogeyed, before picking up two more shots for a three-round aggregate of 13-under-par 201.

Khan also put himself in the mix with a bogey-free 64 after finding himself in the 31st place at the halfway stage.

The 2010 BMW PGA Championship winner at Wentworth actually held a two-shot lead by the time he was on the 13th hole.

Sergio Garcia, who was part of the four-way tie with Fraser, German Martin Kaymer and Portugal’s Ricardo Santos, could only manage a 70 on Friday thanks to bogeys on the 15th and 18th.

His aggregate of 11-under par 205 put him in joint third place with South African Brenden Grace who stroked a 67.

Santos, who had led after the first day, suffered a spectacular meltdown with four bogeys and two double bogeys in a round of 76 to be ten shots off the pace.