Stewart Cink and Bill Haas take the lead in Houston Open

Stewart Cink and Bill Haas manoeuvred themselves to the front of the field heading into the final day of a wide-open Shell Houston Open.

Cink carded a four-under 68 and Haas a 67 as the pair moved to 11-under, but with another 13 men within two shots of them, the final round promises to be exciting.

Overnight leader Steve Wheatcroft was one of four men on 10-under, alongside fellow Americans Ben Crane, DA Points and Jason Kokrak, while England’s Lee Westwood went round in 67 to head a group of nine at nine-under.

World number two Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, went under par for a second straight round, and although he remained nine shots off the lead at two-under, there were signs things were improving with the Masters on the horizon.

But it is the top of the leaderboard where attention will be focused on the final day, with a nervy final round in prospect.

“Tomorrow you’re going to have to play very well,” Haas said. “You can’t just hang on and hope everybody else will fall back.”

Haas carded seven birdies against two bogeys, while Cink dropped just one shot in his round, saving par on the final hole despite finding a bunker.