China's Feng Shanshan shot a six-under-par 66 in the season-ending championship of the Ladies European Tour on Friday to lead by five shots going into the final day.
World No.5 Shanshan, the highest ranked player in the field, moved to 17 under par for the tournament, five clear of Melissa Reid of England, who had a bogey-free round of seven-under 65, the best card of the day at the Majlis course of Emirates Golf Club.
English 18-year-old Charley Hull, the reigning Order of Merit leader, remained in contention to become the new European number one when she came back strongly from a bogey, triple-bogey stretch in the middle of her round to make three birdies for a round of three-under 69.
Hull was tied for third place at 10 under par alongside world number 12 Anna Nordqvist (68) and 2012 European number one Carlota Ciganda (66) of Spain.
Hull is seven shots behind Feng, but she is three shots ahead of France's Gwladys Nocera, the only player this week who can stop her from winning the Order of Merit crown.
Nocera struggled throughout the day for a 71 and is tied ninth at 209. She needs to finish at least inside the top-four to win the Order of Merit for a second time.
Feng, who started with a birdie and made an eagle on the third hole when she struck her second shot to a foot from the pin, made her only bogey of the day when she hit her tee shot into the water on the fourth hole.
"I think I did pretty well," said Feng, who is chasing her second Dubai Ladies Masters title in three years.
"I started very well but I think Charley definitely gave me a lot of pressure for the first 10 holes.
"And then, it was kind of like a very big switch in the next two holes, because I made two under and she was actually four over for those two holes. There was a little more pressure off after that and I played well in the back, too."
Hull was satisfied with her round, despite the triple bogey.
"I'm actually really happy to be honest. I got off to a fast start and I was three under through 10 holes, and just lost a little bit of concentration for two holes," said the world number 38.
"I fought back after making a triple and a bogey with three birdies after that, so I'm really proud of myself for doing that."
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