Tom McKibbin produced a wonder shot that sparked a flurry of late birdies to keep his hopes alive of retaining his European Open title in Hamburg.

The Holywood star began the day four shots off the lead, but after turning in level par, he suffered a major blow when he double-bogeyed the par-five 11th.

It could have proved a killer blow but inspired by an incredible 206-yard six-iron approach from a fairway bunker at the 13th that ran up the green and hit the pin before stopping on the lip, he tapped in for the first of four birdies in a row to reignite his hopes of retaining the title.

Two closing pars saw him sign for a two-under 71 that left him tied for seventh with Spain’s Ivan Cantero South African Jayden Schaper on eight-under, just four shots behind co-leaders Guido Migliozzi and Laurie Canter.

“It was hard to stomach,” McKibbin said of the sickening seven at the 11th that appeared to scupper his chances.  “But to battle back with four birdies in a row was nice. I just kept fighting because you never know what can happen.”  

He certainly didn’t expect to pull off his miracle shot at the 12th but now believes he can make a run.

“I walked up there and saw where it was sitting and I was a little bit down on myself heading into a tough stretch of holes,” he said.

“I just tried to grip down on the six iron and lift up as quickly as possible and land it around the front and literally played it absolutely perfectly.”

As for his hopes of mounting a final round challenge, he said: “I think if you play good golf, there are definitely birdie chances but you have to play well around here to get them.

“So I’ll go out tomorrow and try and play quite nicely and hit the greens and make some putts and that should be good.”

Migliozzi started the day alongside McKibbin, six shots behind overnight leader Canter.

But a bogey-free six-under-par 67 that included three birdies in his last four holes saw him draw level on 12-under with the Englishman, who held a four-shot lead early in the round.

Canter wobbled with three dropped shots around the turn but fought back to card a level-par 73 and share a one-shot lead with Migliozzi over Dane Niklas Nørgaard.

Home favourite Jannik De Bruyn and Frenchman Tom Vaillant are a shot further back in fourth with eight-time DP World Tour winner Bernd Wiesberger alone in sixth on nine under.