Shanshan Feng takes command as Doncaster’s Rebecca Hudson climbs high with three-under-par 69

Leader Shanshan Feng of China plays her tee shot at the second during the third round of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates GC (Picture: Tristan Jones).

Two shots in front overnight, the world No six carded a 67 for the third day on the trot to reach 15 under for the tournament as her nearest challenger Dame Laura Davies slipped to 10th after a third-round 77.

Doncaster’s Rebecca Hudson soared up the leader board into a share of 11th place from 32nd overnight thanks to an excellent three-under-par 69.

Hudson, who has had progressively lower scores of 73 72 and 69, had birdies at holes two, three and 11 and there were no blemishes on her card despite the tricky conditions.

Feng racked up five birdies in machine-like fashion on the front nine before dropping a shot at the 12th – her first in 48 holes. She made another bogey on the 15th, but rebounded with a birdie on the 17th, inexorably moving closer to winning for a record third time in Dubai.

“Today, I think the front nine was really good. I had many birdie chances and a lot of them were really close.

“The back nine, well, I made a couple bogeys there,” said Feng. I think it just happens. It’s normal because the day was a little bit more wind. So human beings, we’re going to make mistakes. After that, I was happy that I made birdie on the 17th.”

Feng was cruising with a 10-stroke lead after 11 holes, but Thailand’s Thidapa Suwannapura, placed seventh overnight, fired a sizzling 65 – the tournament’s best score so far – in windy conditions to jump to second on 10 under.

The 2013 Hero Women’s Indian Open champion went to the turn in level par, but picked up a stroke on the 10th before finishing with six straight birdies from the 13th for a back nine of seven under.

“I didn’t think the back nine was easy,” said Feng, adding: “I think the back nine, maybe I misjudged the wind a couple of times. And then there was one poor drive on the 12th hole.”

Suwannapura raised her game on the back nine despite struggling to walk with a painful hip injury.

France’s Jade Schaeffer returned a 70 to end the day four strokes back in third position. The two-time LET winner, who last won in Prague in 2011, has only made 12 starts on tour this year.

Germany’s Caroline Masson and Melissa Reid from England share fifth spot a stroke further back, but they are 10 shots from the lead.