David Higgins moved into contention for the KLM Open title with another impressive round ahead of the final day Zandvoort. Higgins carded his second 68 of the championship for two-under-par on the day and a share of fourth place on seven under.

The Irishman is two shots off a three-way lead held by Australian Steve Alker and the English pair of Ross Fisher and Dan Carter, and tied with Welshman Phillip Price, Frenchman Thomas Levet and local favourite Joost Luiten.  Compatriot Gary Murphy remains on two under after a third round of 70.

26-year-old Fisher also led going into the last round at his home course Wentworth in the European Tour's flagship BMW Championship in May, only to crash to a closing 84 and slump to a share of 39th place.

"Wentworth was fantastic for three days and then disastrous for one but that's golf," Fisher said. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous because it's my home club and I've watched countless tournaments there at the BMW Championship or World Matchplay.

"To be leading the event was pretty overwhelming and it obviously put some extra pressure on me. It was one of those days where everything I tried didn't come off but I had to suck it up because I had a lot of friends and family watching.

"I know I'm ready to win and I will win, whether that's this week, next week or somewhere down the line. I know I've got the game to do it. For three days here I've played some pretty good golf, the first two days were close to flawless."

Carter held a two-shot lead overnight but three-putted three times in his 71 and bogeyed the last to lose the outright lead.

The 35-year-old is the only one of the three leaders to have won a European Tour title, although that came back in the Irish Open in 1998, the same year he also won the World Cup for England with Nick Faldo.

"I suppose I would have taken being in a tie for the lead at the end of the day," said Carter, who almost died in Dubai in 1997 when he required emergency brain surgery after collapsing in his hotel room.

"The wind was from a completely different direction today and threw me on a few holes but I'm still in with a chance.

"The golf was not that pretty at times but that's also part of the fun. Tiger Woods makes it look so easy but this is what it's really like for us mere mortals, especially when you haven't won for a while."F

Former Open champion Paul Lawrie and fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher are both six-under-par alongside England's John Bickerton and Swede Alexander Noren.