Watch final round of South African Women's Open live on Sky Sports Golf from 11am on Sunday - Belgium's Manon de Roey leads by three strokes with English duo Rosie Davies and Gabriella Cowley six shots adrift as they pursue first Ladies European Tour victories
Saturday 27 April 2024 18:25, UK
England's Rosie Davies slipped six shots off the pace at the Investec South African Women's Open with Belgium's Manon de Roey to take a three-stroke lead into Sunday's final round.
Davies, who shared the lead after round one and trailed de Roey by just one shot after round two, carded a second successive one-under 71 and is now at eight under for the event at Erinvale Country & Golf Estate.
The 34-year-old was at 10 under for the tournament but then double bogeyed 17 and is now tied for fifth with compatriot Gabriella Cowley who, like Davies, is eying a first win on the Ladies European Tour.
Cowley shot a five-under 67 on Saturday with the highlight an eagle three at the par-five seventh, while leader De Roey registered a six-under 66, including nine birdies, to propel herself to 14 under.
De Roey, who reeled off four birdies in a row between 11th and 14th holes, said: "I tried to stay patient all day. I started quite strong and created chances for myself.
"I thought it was going to be more windy and, to be honest, I prefer the wind because I can shape the ball more. But I just picked my targets and lines and tried to commit to every shot.
"I'm really looking forward to the final round. I've been playing quite solid all year with a few top-10s. I'll just keep doing what I've been doing, make some putts and we'll see what happens."
De Roey has one victory on the Ladies European Tour so far, at the 2022 Aramco Team Series - Bangkok when she beat Sweden's Johanna Gustavsson by three strokes.
Her nearest challenger in South Africa is now Ines Laklalech on 11 under, with the Moroccan recording a seven-under 65, in which she went blemish-free across her first 16 holes.
However, Laklalech then dropped two shots at the 16th, denting her hopes of overhauling De Roey on the final day and securing a second Ladies European Tour title, after the 2022 Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
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