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Duo extend lead in South Africa
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Duo extend lead in South Africa

Chris Paisley and Adrien Saddier increased their advantage at the top to four shots as the joint leaders began their third round of the BMW SA Open Championship Proudly hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni at Glendower Golf Club.

Chris Paisley

Paisley and Saddier set a halfway target of 13 under par following impressive second round displays, with the latter recording a joint-course record 63 - which contained six birdies and an eagle - while the Englishman hit eight birdies and a bogey to score a 65.

The Frenchman did not drop a shot in his first two rounds and continued his flawless form after three holes, starting with a routine par at the first. Paisley found the bunker with his second shot but still managed to rescue an opening par.

Both players had long eagle chances at the par five second, with Paisley lipping out from the fringe, but the duo had to settle for a birdie moved to 14 under before scoring a par at the third.

Jacques Kruyswijk remained in third place following a colourful start to his round. The South African opened with a birdie and eagle to briefly reduce the gap to one stroke, but a bogey at the third restored the three-shot cushion behind the leaders before another bogey dropped the 25 year old back to ten under.

Player host Ernie Els sits two under through 15 holes to nudge up to at five under for the tournament, but Scott Vincent who started the day in contention on eight under signed three bogeys in his opening four holes.

Early starter JC Ritchie produced the round of the morning with a seven-under 65, which contained three birdies and an eagle in his front nine before three more gains and a bogey moved the South African to nine under.

Two-time US Open Championship winner Retief Goosen joined his compatriot at nine under after five, alongside fellow South African Branden Grace and American Chase Koepka, who have both played five holes.

Sweden's Marcus Kinhult shot a six-under 66 to finish a stroke further adrift alongside South African Jacques Blaauw, after six holes, and England's Richard Bland, who has three to play.

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