Ira Alido fired an eagle-aided five-under-par 67 to grab the lead after three rounds in the ICTSI Luisita Championship in Tarlac on Thursday.

Alido improved to 8-under for the tournament, one shot clear of Frankie Miñoza, Miguel Tabuena and Mars Pucay.

"Third day, moving day. I really need to get close to the leader to have a chance," said Alido, who bucked a bogey on the first hole with a cluster of birdies and an eagle on the par-5 ninth for a 32. He slowed down with a two-birdie, one-bogey card at the back but it proved enough to shove him to the top at 208.

With his day's best five-under card and an eight-under overall total, Alido didn't only keep himself in the hunt for a follow-up to his come-from-behind win in Bacolod last March. He turned himself into being the hunted in what looms to be a wild finish to the P2 million championship.

Frankie Miñoza had a superb start of three birdies before fading with bogeys on 14 and 18 to settle for a 71.

'Third day, moving day. I really need to get close to the leader to have a chance.'

Tabuena, on the other hand, made his move with a 69 behind four birdies against a bogey.

Pucay climbed to 7-under after a 68 built around five birdies against one bogey.

The leading scores after 54 holes:

208 — Ira Alido 71-70-67

209 — Frankie Miñoza 69-69-71, Mars Pucay 72-69-68, Miguel Tabuena 72-68-69

210 — Jay Bayron 71-67-72

212 — Michael Bibat 66-73-73, Angelo Que 73-69-70

213 – Fidel Concepcion 72-69-72, Zanieboy Gialon 65-74-74, Atsushi Ueda 71-72-70, Dino Villanueva 71-74-68

214 — Kim Min Seong 68-72-74, Rho Hyun Ho 71-75-68

215 — Marvin Dumandan 68-75-72, Albin Engino 71-71-73, Clyde Mondilla 76-69-70

216 — Elee Bisera 74-75-67, Tony Lascuna 71-73-72

217 — Jhonnel Ababa 70-76-71, Rico Depilo 68-75-74, Keanu Jahns 71-72-74, Nilo Salahog 71-72-74, Elmer Salvador 72-70-75

218 — Art Arbole 74-69-75, Reymon Jaraula 73-74-71, Francis Morilla 70-77-71, Sean Jean Ramos 71-73-74

219 — Ferdie Aunzo 71-72-76, Gabriel Manotoc 72-71-76

220 — Lloyd Jefferson Go 73-70-77

221 — Jerson Balasabas 73-74-74, Dan Emilio Cruz 76-73-72, Richard Sinfuego 73-75-73, Gerald Rosales 76-73-72.