The chasing pack started their third round in positive fashion as they aimed to catch runaway leaders Chris Paisley and Adrien Saddier at BMW SA Open Championship Proudly hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni.
Paisley carded seven birdies and a bogey during a six-under par first round 66, but managed to better that by one in the second round with eight gains and one dropped shot to surge up the leaderboard and set a halfway target of 13 under par.
Saddier turned on the style as he scored his second unblemished round of the tournament to sign for a joint-course record 63 - which contained six birdies and an eagle - to match the Englishman's score, but still remained four shots clear at Glendower Golf Club.
Player host Ernie Els sits level par through six holes to remain at three under for the tournament, with 2015 winner of the event and former Ryder Cup player Andy Sullivan recording four birdies and a double-bogey in 11 holes.
Four-time European Tour winner Grégory Bourdy, who started the day at level par, produced the round of the morning with six gains and one dropped shot in a five-under par 67.
South African JC Ritchie was eight under through ten unblemished holes on the third day following four birdies and an eagle, while England's Charlie Ford picked up six shots in his 16 holes to move to seven under in the third round.
Sweden's Marcus Kinhult, after nine holes, and Englishman Richard Bland, through five, sit on five under for the tournament, with Brazilian Adilson da Silva and South Africa's Louis de Jager one shot better off after 12 and 14 holes respectively.
South Africa's Jacques Kruyswijk sits in third on nine under, while Two-time US Open Championship winner Retief Goosen, World Number 30 Branden Grace, Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent and American Chase Koepka, who all start later in the day, are a shot further adrift.
