EAST LONDON, South Africa |
EAST LONDON, South Africa Jan 7 (Reuters) - Defending champion Louis Oosthuizen and journeyman Tjaart van der Walt were locked at the top the Africa Open leaderboard on 21-under par after a see-saw battle in the third round on Saturday.
South African Oosthuizen, the overnight leader, closed the day with a six-under par round of 67 while the 37-year-old Van der Walt, who began the day two shots off the lead, carded a 65 with both men picking up just a single bogey.
Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, and Van der Walt, who has plied his trade on the PGA, European and Asian Tours without winning a professional tournament, spent much of the day locked in battle with the third member of the final three-ball, compatriot Retief Goosen.
But Goosen could only par the 18th hole after his second shot found a greenside bunker, while Oosthuizen and Van der Walt both birdied. Goosen ended the round one shot off the pace after a seven-under 66.
Wind finally blew in the afternoon at the coastal course but Oosthuizen said that if the weather remained good it would take a very low score to win the tournament.
"If it's the same weather then I expect 27, 28-under to win," he told reporters.
"Everyone will know that there are a lot of birdies out there. If there is no wind and you are four behind it's going to be really tough to catch the leaders because they are also going to be scoring."
Briton Danny Willett (65) was in fourth place on 19-under while the day's lowest round belonged to South African Richard Sterne who fired a nine-under-par 64 to move to 17-under and fifth place heading into the final day.
Van der Walt told reporters: "I've been close (to winning) many times but every time there seems to be a top-ranked player with a stop sign in front of me. But I can compete on the last day. Who knows what can happen if I keep knocking on the door." (Editing by Dave Thompson. (To comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com; dave.thompson@thomsonreuters.com +44 207 542 7933; Reuters messenger: dave.thompson.reuters.com@reuters.net; Please double click on the newslink for more golf)
Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/UKGolfNews/~3/_z8tI5ivAu8/golf-european-idUKL3E8C709N20120107
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