A brilliant birdie chip was the highlight for Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal on Saturday as he maintained a three-shot lead after three rounds at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in Mpumalanga.
The 36-year-old from Barcelona underclubbed off the tee at 12 and his shot fell well short of the green, leaving him in danger of dropping a shot in 37 degree celsius heat.
However, his chip curved after landing on the green and rolled into the hole for one of five birdies in his two-under 70, which gave him an overall 11-under-par total of 205.
Wil Besseling from the Netherlands, ordinarily a second-tier Challenge Tour competitor who was invited to play in the opening event of the 2020 European Tour season, also carded a 70 to lie second on eight-under.
A bogey six on the final hole left South African Branden Grace third on 2019 after a 71 at the Leopard Creek Country Club, which borders the famed Kruger National Park wildlife reserve.
South African Zander Lombard (69) and Marcus Armitage (71) share fourth, six shots behind four-time European Tour winner Larrazabal, whose last title came four years ago.
Among those on four-under is Swede Joel Sjoholm, whose 68 was the lowest round of the day over the picturesque 6,627-metre layout.
Sjoholm birdied eight of his first 13 holes before the surge came to a halt and he finished disappointingly with a bogey on 16 and a double bogey on 18.
Although four-time Dunhill Championship winner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa also trails Larrazabal by seven strokes, he may pose a threat to the leader.
The 2011 US Masters winner, once ranked six in the world, is playing his first tournament since being sidelined last April by a wrist injury.
His 70 included five birdies and three bogeys, and a final round in conditions expected to be eight degrees celsius cooler could generate excitement if the pacesetters falter.
