English veterans Richard Bland and Anthony Wall cut Wallie Coetsee’s Joburg Open lead before the South African had even teed off in the final round.
Coetsee, a two-time winner on the co-sanctioning Sunshine Tour, had led by two overnight after a third round 70 left him 14 under par.
Bland, playing his 349th European Tour event but seeking a first victory, birdied the opening hole form 15 feet and had three further gains, an eagle at the long eighth and a bogey in an eventful outward 32 to reach 13 under.
Wall, whose only previous victory came 15 years ago – coincidently also in South Africa – eagled the long opening hole from 25 feet to join his compatriot.
South Africans have won the last five stagings of this event at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club, and as well as Coetsee the group of Anthony Michael, Tjaart van der Walt and Jacques Blaauw on 12 under were hoping to extend that record.
They were joined in a tie for fourth by Ireland’s Kevin Phelan and two more Englishmen – David Howell and Steve Webster.
Bland found trouble at the tenth and the 42 year old had to make a good up-and-down from a greenside bunker to limit the damage to bogey.
Meanwhile another of the home contingent, Dean Burmester, had birdied the last three holes to set the clubhouse target at 12 under with a round of 65.
Phelan birdied the seventh after an excellent approach to three feet to join Wall on 13 under, but within moments Wall had grabbed a share of the lead when he pitched to five feet at the fourth and converted.
