Local favourite Christiaan Bezuidenhout is on course for back-to-back wins on the European Tour after carding a steady 67 at the South African Open on Saturday to take a healthy five-shot lead into the final round.
Bezuidenhout, 26, won the Alfred Dunhill Championship last week by four shots with a 14-under par total and heads into Sunday’s final round at the Gary Player Country Club having droped only two shots in his first 54 holes.
He held his nerve brilliantly at Leopard Creek to record that triumph as his challengers battled in the windy conditions, and showed again on Saturday his accuracy in hitting the greens and his consistency with the putter.
Compatriot Dylan Frittelli (70) and Welshman Jamie Donaldson are his closest rivals on 10-under par.
Donaldson followed up Friday’s sensational 63 with a disappointing third round score of 72 to slip five shots off the lead having not won a European Tour event in six years.