After leading through the first two rounds, Jaco Ahlers stood firm in the windy conditions on Saturday to increase his lead to five strokes with a three-under-par 69 in the third round of the Sunshine Tour’s Tour Championship at Serengeti Estates.
He made an early birdie on the second hole, and dropped just his third shot of the week with a bogey on the eighth. But after that it was a solid display by the 10-time Sunshine Tour winner, as he picked up three birdies on the homeward nine to finish the day comfortably clear of Casey Jarvis who had a one-under 71 to reach 11-under. Peter Moolman was a further four shots off the pace on seven-under-par for 54 holes, nine strokes behind Ahlers.
“It hasn’t been a great year in 2023 so far,” said Ahlers, “but, to be honest, this kind of performance has been coming. I’ve had a mix of bad rounds and good rounds, and it’s just a matter of patience that keeps me hanging on until things all come together.”
Ahlers, who last won on the Sunshine Tour almost exactly a year ago, has played just 13 times on this season’s Sunshine Tour as he attempts to establish a beachhead on the Asian Tour after he earned his playing rights on that circuit way back in February 2020. Despite so few appearances, Ahlers had five top-10s to cement his berth in the local tour’s season finale by lying 21st on the Luno Order of Merit. His best finish ahead of this week was a share of third in the DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournament, the SDC Championship at St Francis Links in March.
It was yet another good putting display from Ahlers, as all the players battled in the wind, and his 69 represented the second-best round of the day, behind only the 68s from Daniel van Tonder and Dylan Mostert who were in a share of 10th and 20th respectively. “It wasn’t that great on the front nine,” said Ahlers of his putting, “as it was tough to adapt to the conditions, but it came right on the back nine.”
For the man behind Ahlers, Jarvis, a fast finish in the final round will cement his position at the top of the Sunshine Tour Rookie of the Year race after a good season with five top-10s and an incredible 59 in his last tournament. But even a huge effort from him might not be enough to haul in Ahlers.
