Springbok Christiaan Bezuidenhout storms 5 shots clear, Cockerill T12 at South African Open

 South African Open Leaderboard

Christiaan Bezuidenhout put himself on course for back to back European Tour titles with a third round 67 at the South African Open.

The 26-year-old claimed his second European Tour title at last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship and has a good chance to add a third, this one his national championship, in Sun City after reaching 15 under for the week at Gary Player Country Club.

Bezuidenhout's five under par round saw him move five shots clear of closest challengers Dylan Frittelli and Jamie Donaldson.

Wales' Donaldson had started the day level with playing partner Bezuidenhout and the pair jostled for the lead over the front nine.

South African Bezuidenhout struck first with a birdie on the first but Donaldson hit back with a gain from 15 feet on the second.

A Bezuidenhout bogey on the third saw Donaldson hit the front, and the former Ryder Cup star went two clear when he found the fifth green in two and birdied.

However, it was all change before the turn as Bezuidenhout made birdies from 30 feet at the sixth and five feet at the seventh before Donaldson bogeyed the eighth after finding a bunker with his approach.

That left Bezuidenhout a shot clear midway through the round and he stretched that advantage on the back nine, making further gains on the tenth, 15th and last.

In contrast Donaldson hit several wayward tee shots and dropped further shots at the tenth, 11th and 16th, although birdies at the 15th and 18th gave him a level par 72 to keep his title hopes intact.

Frittelli mixed five birdies with three bogeys as he signed for a round of 70, with his fellow South Africans Dean Burmester and JC Ritchie tied for fourth on nine under after shooting 71 and 66 respectively. Ritchie's round included a run of five successive birdies to end the front nine.

Aaron Cockerill was in the top 5 at the turn with an outward nine -3 33 -8 total. However a bogey at the 10th and a double bogey 6 into the wind at the par 4 12th resulted in E 72 -5 which is T12 going into Sunday.

If you are ever in need of a laugh give this broadcast team of Englishman Richard Boxall and South Africans Dale Hayes and Tony Johnstone a listen.They are obviously great mates, constantly taking the mickey with each other (for North Americans "making fun of") , sharing funny stories, enjoying Johntone's encyclopedic knowledge of South African wildlife and bird calls. There is nobody like them on this side of the Atlantic.

Bryan Angus (courtesy europeantour.com)