Amid wet and windy conditions at Dundonald Links on Saturday, Poulter – whose last European Tour win came in 2012 – carded a one-under 71 to sit tied with Andrew Dodt and Callum Shinkwin on nine under overall.
Unlike his two rivals, Poulter has already qualified for next week’s Open at Royal Birkdale – a major in which the Englishman finished second at the same venue in 2008 – as has compatriot Andy Sullivan, who is the trio’s closest challenger, two strokes back in outright fourth.
Poulter said: “We knew the conditions were going to be really tough. I didn’t think it would be quite as bad as it was. I mean, I think 12 was about as tough as I’ve ever seen in terms of wind and rain.
“Attitude is everything, I think. You can beat yourself up before you get on the golf course, which is a problem. So before you go out, you could do half the damage before you start.
“I think starting with the right frame of mind, you know it’s going to be a tough day, but everyone else is going to have just as tough a day as you are.
“I just need to finish one in front of everyone else. Obviously I’m a leaderboard watcher. I will go out there and do the best I can. I’ll be aggressive to the pin locations that I feel are accessible, and just go and have some fun.”
There are five spots at Birkdale up for grabs in Scotland, with Johan Carlsson and Paul Dunne very much in the hunt at six under.
Irishman Dunne famously went into the last day of the 2015 Open in a share of the lead when he was still an amateur.
Meanwhile, Claret Jug holder Henrik Stenson endured a miserable day as his 75 left him nine shots off the pace.
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