Overland Park, KS (My Sportsbook) - Michael Sim, the Nationwide Tour's leading money winner, carded a six-under 65 Saturday to take a three-stroke lead after three rounds of the Christmas in October Classic.

Sim finished 54 holes at 16-under-par 197. With a win on Sunday, Sim will earn the battlefield promotion to the PGA Tour for his third victory of the season.

Tom Gillis, who shared the second-round lead with Sim and Paul Claxton, managed a three-under 68 Saturday. Gillis shares second place with Josh Teater (63) and Steve Wheatcroft (67) at 13-under-par 200.

Hunter Haas is alone in fifth at minus-12 after a 66 in round three.

Sim did all of his damage in an 11-hole stretch starting on the third. He made birdie on No. 3 before dropping in consecutive birdie efforts at six and seven to move to 13-under.

The Australian collected another birdie at the ninth, where he chipped in.

"I've been practicing that shot a lot and I haven't chipped one in a while," Sim admitted. "Sometimes you get over a chip and think 'I can make this.' You can see the line and you like the lie and sometimes all you have to do is get it on the green and let it roll out. That's what I had and I played it perfectly."

Sim converted back-to-back birdie efforts on 12 and 13 to move to 16-under. He parred his final five holes to lead by three entering the final round.

"I feel great. My game is back to where it was at the start of the year and I'm making putts," Sim stated. "I took a look at the leaderboard and there are a lot of guys bunched up there, so tomorrow I'm going to have to play as good as I did today."

If Sim can hang on for the win, he would be the ninth Nationwide Tour player to gain the battlefield promotion to the PGA Tour. The last to earn that promotion was Nick Flanagan in 2007.

Gillis carded five birdies and two bogeys in his round of 68.

Teater birdied five of the first seven holes Saturday and collected three more birdies on the back nine to post his 63.

Wheatcroft carded four birdies in a bogey-free round of 67.

Chad Collins, who has shared second place the last two weeks, shot three-under 68 and is tied for sixth with Blake Adams (68) and Garrett Osborn (65). That trio stands at 10-under-par 203.

Claxton finished with a one-over 72 and is part of a group tied for ninth at minus-nine.