England, Scotland and Wales are set to battle it out for second place after South Africa stormed clear in the World Cup at Kiawah Island.
Justin Rose and Paul Casey carded a six under 66 in the third round fourballs to move into a tie for sixth place on four under par 212.
They were joined by Scotland's Paul Lawrie and Alastair Forsyth, who carded a 68, with the Welsh team of Bradley Dredge and Ian Woosnam a shot further behind after a 70.
Ireland's 1997 winning team of Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley also restored some of their battered pride with a 66 to lie one over.
But the South African duo of Trevor Immelman and Rory Sabbatini ensured the USD1.4million first prize was theirs to lose in tomorrow's final foursomes round with a brilliant 63.
Sabbatini birdied the first three holes and Immelman carded his own hat-trick from the fifth to race to the turn in 30, three more birdies on the back nine taking them to 14 under par.
That was seven shots clear of pre-tournament favourites the United States, represented by Jim Furyk and Justin Leonard, and France's Thomas Levet and Raphael Jacquelin.
Germany's Alex Cejka and Marcel Siem share fourth place two shots further back with Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson and Niclas Fasth.
England carded five birdies and an eagle from Casey at the 11th, but the highlight of the day was Rose's outrageous par at the 13th.
Having driven into the water, Rose took a penalty drop and was left with 250 yards to the hole for his third shot. That was destined to come up well short of the green until it hit a wooden post to the right of the fairway and bounced up to within 18 feet of the hole, from where he holed for par.
Casey, who partnered Rose to third place in Mexico 12 months ago, said: "I thought we kept the ball in play nicely today, we had talked about keeping two balls in play at the start of the week and that meant there was little pressure on just one guy.
"But unfortunately we just didn't make the putts. I think the South Africans are too far ahead but we are only three off second and we have a chance of pinching second."
Ireland began the day on seven over par but carded seven birdies and just one bogey in their 66.
Harrington, who still rates 1997's victory here as his greatest achievement in golf, said: "That was better. We set out today with the objective of getting back under par for the tournament and knew the majority of that would have to be done today.
"We got off to a great start with birdies at the first three holes but that became pretty mediocre after we bogeyed the fifth, but we played pretty well after that.
"There were a lot of tough pins out there, they'd set the course up well for fourballs but we dove-tailed better than on the first two days.
"If one of us was out of a hole the other one backed him up."
PA