Tsai, only the third player to win Chinese Taipei’s three ‘Majors’, was outscored by Zhang in the first two rounds when he bagged back-to-back 68s, but the experienced 39-year-old stepped up his efforts on a thrilling third day.

　　“I feel like I’m back in form, as I haven’t shot six-under for a while. I tried really hard today although I’m a bit surprised to hang in there and get a 66,” said Tsai, who has been based in Shanghai since 2006.

　　“It will be interesting playing with Zhang again as I’ve never played four rounds with the same player in my whole career. We have a different style of game, but he will become a great player in the long term.”

　　Liao, who will start three strokes behind the co-leaders, is arguably the Omega China Tour’s in-form player, having finished joint runner-up in May’s Shanghai Championship and secured his first title in Nanjing the following week before the Tour took a break for the Olympics.

　　“I played in the final flight in Nanjing, so I know what it’s like to feel this pressure. Since I won there, I’ve felt confident about my ability to do well in tournaments. My rhythm is good and my irons have been great this week,” said the 31-year-old, who has played every event on the Tour since it started in 2005.

　　Along with Zhang and Ye, four other members of the China National Team, who are preparing for next month’s World Amateur Team Championships in Australia, are also enjoying impressive outings at Luxehills.

　　Kevin Huang Wenyi (70) is seventh on three-under, David Wei Wei (73) is joint eighth on two-under, Huo Wei (76) is tied 17th on one-over and 16-year-old Zhao Xiongyi (71) is joint 23rd on two-over. Of the team’s seven players in Chengdu, only 14-year-old Andy Liu Yuxiang missed the cut.

　　The Luxehills Golf Championship was rescheduled from its original June dates following the Sichuan Earthquake on May 12. Zhang Lianwei and Li Chao, who have won 14 of the 23 events held since the circuit started in 2005, are competing in this week’s Omega European Masters on the European Tour.