An eagle on the 14th brought Jacques Kruyswijk into the reckoning on Saturday in the third round of the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden as he carded a four-under-par 68 to move into the top 10.
Playing in the innovative tournament which featured 78 players from each of the DP World Tour and the Ladies European Tour playing the same course – off the appropriate tees – for the same prize fund, Kruyswijk was solid if unspectacular with three birdies and two bogey on his front nine in the third round. But the eagle gave him a timely boost, and he followed it with a birdie on the 15th to move to nine-under for the tournament.
That’s seven shots off the lead which was taken by rising Swedish star Linn Grant, who pulled off three wins on the Sunshine Ladies Tour earlier this year, and followed that with a victory on the LET in the Mithra Belgian Ladies Open in May.
The 22-year-old began the day two shots behind leader Jason Scrivener on 10-under but soon rolled in back-to-back birdies on three and four. A sensational eagle putt on 11 put her firmly within reach of the lead before birdies on 15 and 18 put her at the top of the table on 16-under-par.
“It was a very solid day again,” said the LET rookie. “I really found my swing yesterday on the range and this morning was a good warm up, a bit stressed, but that is pretty much a good thing to me.
“I got out there and hit good drives, I think I hit pretty much every fairway, on the greens and solid putting. I think I practised throughout all my years playing as an amateur being in the same situation of being nervous and knowing how to handle that and get the best out of myself.”
Lurking in third place is former Open champion Henrik Stenson, who hosts the tournament together with fellow Swedish legend Annika Sorenstam.
One shot behind Kruyswijk on eight-under for the tournament an in a share of 17th was Justin Walters. Zander Lombard was one shot back in a share of 22nd together with Darren Fichardt. Casandra Alexander continued her recent fine form with a third-round 71, moving her to a share of 33rd on six-under. Stacy Bregman had a one-over 73 to be two-under for the tournament in a share of 59th.
