Local favourite George Coetzee is part of a six-way tie for the lead going into what promises to be an exciting final round at the Tshwane Open.
Coetzee, whose interest in golf started when he won a junior event as a ten year old at this week’s venue - Pretoria Country Club – shot a third round 68 to join fellow South Africans Wallie Coetsee and Trevor Fisher Jnr, England’s David Horsey, Scotland’s Craig Lee and Spain’s overnight leader Adrian Otaegui on nine under par.
The 28 year old, whose only previous European Tour title came on home soil at last year’s Joburg Open, had three-putted the third for bogey but produced three birdies in a round of 68.
“It was a bit of a battle out there to get the putts to go in - I was patient enough and luckily I got the one on the last,” said Coetzee.
“It’s lucky that no one has run away with it just yet. I’ll try to keep posting good rounds and hopefully I produce a really good one tomorrow and win.
“On a lot of the holes I have to play with a different game plan, because my aggressive birdie-or-bogey attitude here doesn’t work during a European Tour event. I’m comfortable out there and won’t change my game plan.” George Coetzee
Lee carded a four under par 66, the joint lowest round of the day, to set the clubhouse target on nine under par and looked on as none of the later starters were able to overhaul him.
“I’m delighted,” said Lee, who is chasing a maiden European Tour title after twice having been a runner-up. “It’s one of those courses where you can go quite low as guys have done, but it doesn’t take much to be offline and then you really get punished around here.
“To knock it around in four under today was a great score. I’m still making a couple of silly mistakes, but all-in-all I’m delighted with my game; it’s getting better and better and we’re almost in a position where I’m completely happy with it.
“To contend on the last day is what we’re all after and it’s brilliant to be up there.” Craig Lee
However, the 22 year old – who lost his card last season but got it straight back at Qualifying School – played two poor chips at the ninth in running up a bogey, paid for a poor tee shot at the tenth with another dropped shot and missed a short par putt at the 13th.
After a birdie at the 15th he bogeyed the next en route to a round of 72, but still finds himself in contention for a maiden European Tour title.
“I played pretty well until the ninth,” said Otaegui, a protégé of double Masters Tournament winner and 2012 Ryder Cup Captain José María Olazábal.
“I’m trying to keep the rhythm for better tee shots tomorrow.
“I played okay and I’m pretty confident for tomorrow. I think there were good things to learn from today and tomorrow is another chance.
“I don’t want to change anything and we’ll see what happens. We just have to keep the ball in play and stay smart.”
Horsey provided Otaegui’s main competition for much of the day, birdieing the eighth and ninth to turn in 33 and grab a share of the lead.
However, a duffed chip at the 11th cost him a bogey and, although he got a shot back at the long next, he bogeyed the 17th for a round of 69.
“All things considered it was a decent score and I’m reasonably pleased with how I am playing,” said Horsey, who with three European Tour titles has more than the rest of the leaders put together.
“It’s anyone’s tomorrow, so more of the same for me. I’ll try to get it a bit closer and hole some putts."
Last week’s Africa Open winner Fisher Jnr and recent Joburg Open runner-up Coetsee continued their excellent recent form with rounds of 69 and 68 respectively, while on a congested leaderboard Ockie Strydom and Erik van Rooyen are only one behind the leaders.
Former Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari, France’s Raphaël Jacquelin and Dane Morten Ørum Madsen, who chipped in at the 16th, are all tied for ninth on seven under.
