That time alone to think must've helped because the English bolter, who's plied his trade on the secondary European Challenge Tour this year, now has a place in tournament history.

The 36-year-old carded a course record 63 at Royal Pines on Sunday, his nine birdies in a bogey-free round propelling him from two under to the clubhouse lead.

He nailed a testing putt for par on the 18th to go a shot better than Jordan Zunic's third round last year but could've been even better after a putt lipped out on the ninth.

"There's always a few missed opportunities, isn't there. I played lovely today," he said.

Zunic was eyeing a sub-60 round at one stage last year but that was never in McGowan's calculations.

"Not around this place, no, this place is brutal," he said.

"I'm really happy to shoot nine under and didn't really see a score like that out there but when I hit a few irons close and made the putts, it made life a little easier."

He said he was happy enough with his form on the Challenge Tour this year, having played solidly in the occasional European Tour tournaments he had contested this year.

McGowan was four shots off leader Marc Leishman as the Victorian rounded the turn but thought twice about toasting his efforts straight away.

"I feel like a beer but I'm not sure that's going to be the route to go just yet," he said.

"Yeah, I'll probably watch a few holes and I guess get some lunch first and see what's going on."

Australian Associated Press