Louis Oosthuizen equalled the Leopard Creek course record of nine-under-par 63 on Saturday to race into a share of the lead after the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
It was a sparkling bogey-free round by the 2010 Open champion, with seven birdies and an eagle taking him to 15-under and lifting him five strokes clear of the nearest pursuers, Andy Sullivan and Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who were on 10-under-par after rounds of 69 and 68 respectively.
And in a share of the lead with Oosthuizen was the 2011 Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel, the man who has won the title at Leopard Creek four times – more than anyone else. Schwartzel carded a seven-under-par 65, with an eagle, six birdies and a bogey, with a sparkling homeward nine of six-under 31 with four birdies and an eagle.
“It’s the one event that I’ve really wanted on my CV,” Oosthuizen said. “I’ve come close a few times and I’ve messed it up a lot of times so tomorrow if I can stay calm like I did today and do the same things and give myself opportunities on the greens I think I’ve got a good shot.
“I’ve been on the bad side of this golf course for a long time. It’s such a good track, you just need to hit your shots, you can’t always just play away from trouble.
“There are certain holes you need to take it on and make good swings and I stuck to that today and didn’t back off on tough shots and hopefully I can do the same tomorrow.”
“We’ve been friends for a long time and we’ve played this game for a long time,” Schwartzel said of the prospect of facing Oosthuizen in the final round. “I don’t think we’ll treat it any other way than just trying our best and let the outcome be what it will.
“We’re both playing well so it probably comes down to the guy who makes the least mistakes tomorrow.
“I’m just having so much fun being healthy. You don’t realise how much injuries hamper you when you’ve got them because you just sort of work around them.
“All of a sudden, last week and this week there has been nothing and I can free flow and hit the ball like I used to.”
Bezuidenhout and Sullivan were one clear of another Englishman in Marco Penge and China’s Ashun Wu. A group of eight players was in a share of seventh on eight-under-par, including halfway leader Casey Jarvis, Wynand Dingle, Robin Williams and Jayden Schaper.
All of the capable chasers aside, the battle between two major champions who have played against each other since their childhood days is the one which will captivate fans. Oosthuizen wants the Leopard Creek trophy more than most, having been runner-up twice. His mate has been runner-up four times, and neither will want to have another bridesmaid’s tag to their credit.
