George Coetzee raced to the turn in 30 to take control of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open midway through the third round at Heritage Golf Club.
The South African, already a winner at his home Pretoria GC in the Tshwane Open this season, started the day four shots behind halfway leader Thorbjørn Olesen but holed a long birdie putt at the second and got up-and-down for another gain at the driveable fifth.
Dane Olesen had initially been caught by Swedish playing partner Pelle Edberg after bogeying the first, but both Scandinavians found the going tough in damp conditions – the 25 year old Olesen doing well to save bogey on the fourth after driving into a ditch.
That allowed Coetzee to take the lead when he pitched in for eagle at the seventh, and an up-and-down from the bunker at the reachable par four ninth saw him reach ten under par.
That was one ahead of compatriot Thomas Aiken, who had overcome a bogey at the opening hole with three gains in four holes from the fifth, with Singapore’s Mardan Mamat and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick a shot further back in third.
