Grant Forrest on the cusp at Nexo Championship in Scotland

The Scot led by one at the halfway stage, but found himself overhauled by playing partner Jordan Smith just after the turn following a run of bogey-par-bogey from the eighth.

That left him at five under, however, he returned to the summit alongside Smith, who bogeyed the 11th, with Todd Clements and Kristoffer Reitan also climbing into the share of the lead.

However, Forrest was the only player to jump out of the group at five under, with three birdies in his final five holes helping him to a eight under par total at Trump International Golf Links.

Norway's Reitan carded the lowest round of the day with a 68, Englishman Clements signed for a 69 and Dutchman Daan Huizing joined the pair in a tie for second at five under.

"Well there is a long way to go tomorrow," Forrest said. "Really happy with the way I dug in today and a lovely way to finish. It took a lot of patience, but yeah, see what tomorrow brings.

"I played nicely first seven holes. The bogey at the tenth actually felt like a boost because I was staring at a seven in the face, to escape with a six settled me down a little bit.

"I just kept on giving myself chances and finally got a couple of putts to drop.

"I'm pretty happy with my gameplan so far, I've not checked what the weather's to be, but if it's similar conditions, it's hit fairways and greens - that old chestnut. I've done that pretty well so far and staying patient."

Forrest had to remain patient as the Aberdeenshire coastline course was battered by wind once again, starting seven straight pars.

No-one could cut into his deficit as he extended his lead to two as the chasing pack failed to build momentum, that was until he left the door ajar at the eighth.

He overshot the green and could not make the 16 foot putt for par and when he dropped another shot at the tenth, there was a new leader.

Smith, who bogeyed the third and fourth, responded with a birdie at the seventh and after another at the tenth, he jumped ahead at six under.

But he immediately gave that shot back at the next to increase the leadership to three alongside Forrest and Clements.

Reitan made it a quartet at five under and set the clubhouse target, although, Forrest finally made his move at the 14th.

The 32-year-old found his range by dialling in to five feet to take the solo lead at six under, before his putter got hot with efforts from 16 and 20 feet respectively for a birdie-birdie finish.

Reitan rolled in six birdies and two dropped shots in his 68, Clements mixed an eagle, four birdies and three bogeys and Huizing picked up five shots, a double bogey and a dropped shot to reach five under.

English pair Joe Dean and Andy Sullivan and Dane Jacob Skov Olesen all carded 70 to sit a further two shots adrift in a share of fifth.

Eddie Pepperell is in solo eighth at two under, while Finn Oliver Lindell, John Parry, Scotland's Ryan Lumsden and American Davis Bryant are at one under.