Jacques Kruyswijk is relishing the chance to claim a first DP World Tour title and third victory of 2023 on the final day of the Joburg Open.
The South African is back on Tour after coming through the Qualifying School for the second time in his career, another success in a 2023 that has seen him win his third Sunshine Tour and maiden European Challenge Tour trophies.
A 69 on day three at Houghton Golf Club left him four shots behind leader Thriston Lawrence and Kruyswijk was enjoying having the chance to chase down the 2022 champion.
"I haven't been in this position for a while so it's nice to be here and be in this position but I need to improve, I need to get better, I need to be more in this position," he said.
"Being behind, I love being behind, I love chasing so anything can happen tomorrow.
"I'm still in there and I've still got a shot a couple of shots back."
The 31-year-old bogeyed the second and third but sandwiched a gain on the fifth with long putts at the fourth and sixth.
Further birdies came on the ninth and 13th but he dropped a shot on the 14th before getting a rotten piece of luck on the last as his approach hit the pin and finished a long way from the hole, resulting in a three-putt.
"It was nice to get it back together, I was a little bit nervous this morning and obviously it showed," he said.
"It was a bit of an up-and-down day, a lot of emotions on the golf course.
"I didn't start great and I managed to get myself together mid-round. On 18 I hit the flag and finished about 40 metres from the hole which isn't great but I can't be too angry, I hit a great shot in there.
"Playing conservatively has been paying off dividends the last while with my game. I've been over-aggressive previously with my game where I've been hitting it all over the place. I wanted to try and get in play a bit more and give myself better scoring opportunities."
World Number 1,214 Nikhil Rama had an inauspicious start of his own, four-putting the first for a double-bogey and dropping a shot on the fourth after finding the trees.
Three birdies in four holes from the 11th got him back level for the day before he made bogeys on the 15th and last to sit alongside Kruyswijk at 11 under after a 72.
"It's a tough position that we're in but tomorrow is another day and we're going to fight tomorrow again," said the 36-hole leader. "I'm going to go with the same strategy.
"Starting out with a four-putt, slight nerves got to me but I managed to calm myself down during the round and fought back nicely to where I am right now.
"The putts didn't fall on the first nine, I really struggled on the first nine with a couple of three-putts on the par fives from the fringe.
"I love the back nine so I know I can score on the back nine so that's what I did."
