He once again closed with a pair of bogeys on Friday, by Stephen Ferreira had done enough to maintain his lead after the third round of the Sunshine Tour’s Blue Label Challenge at Gary Player Country Club at Sun City.

Ferreira’s score was two-under-par 70, but with the modified stableford scoring system for the tournament, he made six points on the day to move to 30 for the tournament ahead of the final round. That put him two clear of last week’s winner on tour, Pieter Moolman, while a hard-charging Jaco Prinsloo was in third on 26 points, a further two back.

Modified stabeleford awards five points for an eagle, two for a birdie, none for par, minus one for a bogey and minus three for a double-bogey. Ferreira made four birdies and two bogeys, while Moolman made an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys in his round of 67.

Prinsloo had the round of the day with a bogey-free effort – in fact, he’s only made one bogey all week so far – with an eagle and five birdies on his third-round scorecard.

When things get tight down the stretch in the final round – and they always do in this format – there are plenty of other players in a position to challenge with a charge like Moolman or Prinsloo had in the third round: Jbe’ Kruger had an indifferent day in the third round, coming home with minus two points, but he is on 24 points, just six shots back; and youngsters Jayden Schaper and Luca Filippi are lurking on 23 points after scoring eight and six points respectively in the third round.

But if Ferreira repeats the does of what he achieved in the third round, it will take a really good low round to haul him in.