Ireland’s Simon Thornton was the big mover on the third morning of the St Omer Open, but Tjaart Van Der Walt remaimed the man to topple.
Thornton signed for a six-under-par 65 shortly after lunch, moving him to four under for the tournament.
That left him just a single shot behind Van Der Walt who, having started play level with England’s Richard Dimwiddie, shaved two shots off par over seven holes to move clear on his own.
A bogey on the par-four eighth reeled him back in to the chasing pack, though, giving clubhouse leader Thornton cause for optimism.
Dimwiddie remained on the four under he closed on last night, with Jeppe Huldahl and Max Glauert alongside him and Thornton.
A further quintet of players were lurking on three under – England’s Simon Wakefield and Chris Lloyd amongst them.