Ross Fisher burst clear of the chasing pack as the third round of the Tshwane Open started at Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate.
The Englishman, part of Europe’s winning Ryder Cup team in 2010, led by one overnight but immediately saw that advantage doubled when playing partner Morten Ørum Madsen bogeyed the first.
The 33 year old Fisher then birdied the second and third to race to 15 under.
Madsen was part of a nine-way tie for second on 11 under, with first round leader Simon Dyson, Spanish Qualifying School winner Carlos del Moral, Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey and a quartet of home players joining the South African Open Champion.
Darren Fichardt, Hennie Otto, Jake Roos and Trevor Fisher Junior were the players looking most likely to make it 11 wins from the last 14 European Tour events on South African soil for the home contingent.
One of Fisher’s team-mates at The Celtic Manor Resort, Edoardo Molinari, was part of the group on ten under after almost holing his approach to the seventh.
Fisher’s first mistake came at the par five fourth - at 685 yards the longest hole on The European Tour - as he took four shots to find the green and then missed a five foot putt.
And when the four-time European Tour winner failed to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the fifth, his advantage was down to just one over Roos and compatriot Merrick Bremner.
