South African Wilco Nienaber overcame a stuttering start to sink three successive birdies on the back nine and card a 67 to take a slender one shot lead after the third round of the European Tour’s Joburg Open at the Randpark Golf Club on Saturday.
The 20-year-old, who turned professional last year and has yet to finish in the top three in a European Tour event, is on 16 under-par after a round that included six birdies and two bogeys, the latter both coming in his first five holes.
Dane Joachim Hansen, also seeking a maiden win on the tour, is a shot back and was in blistering form with his putter on the front nine, carding four birdies and an eagle.
But a dropped shot on the par-four 11th was a blemish on what was otherwise an impressive round of 64.
A further four shots back on 11 under-par are a quartet of players tied for third position, including 2016 South African Open winner Brandon Stone (64), England’s Richard Bland (68) and overnight leader Jacques Blaauw, who stumbled to a round of 73.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
