Spain's Sergio Garcia had drawn level with overnight leader Paul Lawrie midway through the final round of the Qatar masters in Doha.
Lawrie, winner of the title back in 1999, had a narrow one shot lead after the second round in an event cut to 54 holes after strong winds led to lengthy delays on Friday.
The Scot started well with Left handed TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC Irons
at the first to move to nine under and stayed there with seven successive pars, but Garcia produced a superb four-birdie, no-bogey front nine that lifted him to eight under and then picked up another shot at the 10th to draw level with Lawrie.
Australian Jason Day had been only one behind as well following four opening birdies, but he missed the green at the sixth for a bogey and then dropped another shot at the ninth to fall off the pace Left handed TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC Irons
A flawless 65 from Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet that featured seven birdies moved him up to third place and gave him the clubhouse lead at eight under.