Englishman Paisley in contention for maiden European Tour title
Saturday 13 January 2018 15:58, UK
Chris Paisley will take a narrow one-shot lead into the final day's play of the BMW SA Open as Branden Grace moved into second position with a blemish-free back nine.
Paisley, targeting a first European Tour title, was indebted to an up-and-down par save at the par-four 18th to finish 15 under and maintain his overnight lead, but may rue a level-par back nine which allowed the chasing pack to close the gap on the Englishman at Glendower Golf Club.
Grace, in a share of the lead after the opening round, will partner Paisley in Sunday's final round after a six-under 66 increased his chances of a fifth European Tour title on home soil.
The South African, the Nedbank Golf challenge winner last year, recorded six birdies after the turn following a front nine which saw Grace mix two birdies with one bogey.
Chase Koepka, brother to US Open champion Brooks, moved into a three-player group on twelve-under thanks to a four-under 68 which included a long-distance birdie at the last.
The American is joined by Jacques Blaauw and Adrien Saddier on the same mark after rounds of six under and one-over par respectively.
Darren Fichardt, another home favourite, made the move of the day in ideal scoring conditions with an eight-under 64 - the best round of the day - to lie four shots off the lead and three ahead of Masters winner Charl Schwartzel, who hit a three-under 69.
The 42-year-old twice enjoyed birdie blitzes to impress the watching galleries but there was not such good fortune for two of his countrymen.
Retief Goosen, a two-time US Open winner, faltered at the last on Friday with a double-bogey six and lost further ground on the field with a one-over 73 to finish at seven under heading into the final round, while Ernie Els carded a two-under 70 to sit 10 shots off the lead at five under.
English duo Andy Sullivan and Matt Wallace carded three-under 69s to move to five under for the championship while former Ryder Cup winner Jamie Donaldson, who carded the first ace of 2018, is a further two shots back after a one-under 71 which saw the Welshman mix five birdies with four bogeys.
