The whole field breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday as the wind took a break, and Combrinck Smit celebrated with a five-under-par 67 to regain the lead after the third round of the Sunshine Tour’s Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at Pinnacle Point Golf Estate.

The first-round leader climbed to the top of the leaderboard again with an eagle, four birdies and a bogey, and his birdie on the closing par-five 18^th that seems to hang on the edge of the Indian Ocean waves crashing below it took him one clear of Malcolm Mitchell and Albert Venter who were on seven-under after rounds of five-under and three-under respectively.

“Today was unbelievable out there. You could actually stand still and make a swing and a putt,” said Smit, who is looking for a maiden victory on the Sunshine Tour – as is Mitchell, while Venter is looking for number three in 2022.

“If the wind blows like it blew on Friday, then this is probably one of the hardest golf courses I’ve ever played,” added Smit. “It was tough for everyone yesterday. But you can’t start doubting yourself based on a day like that. You can’t take it personally. You just keep trusting in your swing.

“I hit it pretty well again and was in play most of the time. I set myself up with some nice birdie opportunities and wasn’t in trouble off the tee, and I’ll just keep trying to do the same. All I can do is control what I can control and the rest will take care of itself.”

Smit’s front nine was faultless, wit his first birdie coming on the third. He made his eagle on the fifth with a three on the par-five, and followed it with a second birdie to turn in four-under. He dropped his only shot on the 10^th, but hit back immediately with a birdie on 11 and then rounded things off with a well-taken four on the scenic closing hole.

“I need to just go out there and still play quite aggressively on the final day. There is never a big enough lead when it comes to the Sunshine Tour. I’ll have to go out there and shoot another low round,” said Smit.

With eight players within five strokes of the lead, and more wind forecast for the final round, that’s exactly right.