An opening round of 62 means English now sits at 18-under.

He has topped the leaderboard at the end of each day so far, and five birdies today puts him on course for a third Professional Golfers' Association Tour victory of the season.

However, American Bryson DeChambeau and Australian Cameron Smith are both ready to pounce on day four, going into it at 16-under.

DeChambeau was the joint-best performer on day three - he birdied three of the first five holes, before bogeying the sixth, and then added five birdies on the back nine to tie for second.

Smith recovered from bogeys on the first and seventh to record a round of 65 and keep him two behind the leader.

Two bogeys on the final two holes prevented Mexico’s Abraham Ancer from joining the pair in the tie as he finished on 14-under.

Rounds of 67 from America’s Scottie Scheffler and England’s Ian Poulter see them tied for fifth at 13-under.

The top 10 with one day remaining is concluded by a four-way tie for seventh.

American Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey both made 65 today, the Englishman notching five birdies on the back nine in a bogey-free round.

They are joined at 11-under by America’s Will Zalatoris and South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen.

It was a good day for America’s Jordan Speith, who matched DeChambeau’s round of 63 to move to seven-under, and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who struck two eagles during a round of 64, leaving him at nine-under.

Olympic champion Xander Schauffele of the US broke even and remains at two-over-par.