Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez also fired a 66 after recovering from a double bogey seven on the third with eight birdies and takes a one-shot lead into Sunday’s final round.

Fulke has not played since withdrawing from the season-ending Volvo Masters in November last year with a wrist injury, swapping his clubs for a hammer and nails and renovating a house he bought in the south of Sweden.

The 32-year-old cited the pressures of last September’s Ryder Cup as one of the reasons behind his lengthy lay-off, his place in the European team questioned in some quarters after a loss of form.

“In the end I really dug down deep and played well at the Ryder Cup,” said Fulke, who partnered fellow rookie Phil Price to a narrow defeat to Phil Mickelson and David Toms in Saturday’s foursomes, and then offered Davis Love a half in their singles match on the 18th after Paul McGinley had already holed the winning putt in the match ahead.

“I didn’t do it for myself, I felt like I had to. I felt like I had a responsibility to other to play well rather than just for myself.

“I didn’t enjoy playing the way I used to and the only way for me to get that back was to have a long break and not even look at the clubs.

“It is a big house we have renovated, 300 square metres, so it took a long time to do it all inside. I was going to start playing again in Portugal but it was a good friend’s wedding that weekend so I took an extra two weeks off.

“I needed to get the desire back to play after the last couple of years and it seems to have worked.

“Today was only my seventh round of the year, two at home, one practice round here, the pro-am and three in the tournament, and it could have been even better. I missed from four feet on the 16th and less than two feet on the 17th but that’s the way it goes.”

Leader Gonzalez promised to maintain his policy of attacking golf in the final round as he seeks his second tour title.

“I have won before on tour (2001 European Masters) so I know what it takes and I will try and use that experience tomorrow,” Gonzalez said.

“I will not change the way I play even if I am ahead or a couple of shots behind. I cannot play defensively, I will go out as always and try to make birdies, it is the only way I know to play.”

Londoner Gary Clark was in sixth place on 11 under after a bogey on the last in his round of 69.

The 30-year-old lost his card last year after finishing 140th on the Order of Merit and had to carry his own clubs in the first round due to a shortage of local caddies.

“It’s a real shame about the last, that leaves a bit of a sour taste,” said Clark, who pulled his tee shot to the 377-yard par four into trees to the left of the fairway.

“I got a bit greedy with the second shot, it was one of those that normally only comes off on a Sunday morning when nobody’s watching.

“But apart from that I really enjoyed it and I’m still in with a chance. On this course you just have to get the putter going. You need to birdie the par fives and then hole some putts because the greens are so good.”

Clark was in a similar position when recording his best ever tour finish of joint fourth in the Austrian Open in 1996, only for Paul McGinley to shoot a final round 62 to claim the title.

Colin Montgomerie could need the same score, a repeat of his effort in Wednesday’s pro-am, to win the title after a third round 71 left him five shots off the lead.

Montgomerie, whose second round 67 was his first sub-70 round of the year, carded four birdies but bogeyed the first and double-bogeyed the 12th to finish eight under par.

Defending champion Ian Poulter also carded a 71 to lie five under par.