Scotland celebrated an early victory at the African Amateur Championship with a successful title defence in the Team Competition, but the visitors are still trying to catch Christo Lamprecht in the 72-hole Stroke Play Championship at Leopard Creek Golf Estate.
Lamprecht, who led through the first two rounds, maintained his impressive bid for back-to-back victories after his record-setting triumph in the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship last week with a one-under-par 71 in Thursday’s third round.
He moved to nine under 207, two strokes clear of Scotland’s Liam Johnston and Connor Syme.
Johnston carded a 70 and Syme signed for a 72, while Craig Howie posted a 70 for a final round 212 in the Team Competition that sealed victory for Scotland on a winning total of 16-under-par 632.
The Team RSA Juniors also closed with a final round 212, but finished two shots adrift after Garrick Higgo carded a 70 and Jayden Schaper matched Lamprecht’s 71.
Team England took third at six over 654, Team RSA fourth on 657 and Switzerland fifth on 659.
Lamprecht is relishing the prospect of a final round tussle, but the Southern Cape teenager doesn’t plan to change his approach.
‘I’m just going to play the last round like any other round,’ said the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Academy member. “I didn’t play great today and it was my worst ball-striking day of the week, but I can’t really complain because I still shot one under.
‘I struggled on the front nine and my putting wasn’t great. I just tried to keep the ball in play and I didn’t make any stupid mistakes. My goal is to go under par tomorrow and if I can get it to a couple under, I will be right up there.’
LEADING THIRD ROUND SCORES
207 Christo (Jnr) Lamprecht 66 70 71
209 Liam Johnston SCO 72 67 70; Connor Syme SCO 67 70 72
210 Joseph Long GBR 73 69 68
211 Jamie Stewart SCO 73 68 70
212 Eric McIntosh SCO 69 72 71
213 Anthoine Auboin FRA 73 67 73; Luca Filippi 70 69 74
214 Craig Howie SCO 75 69 70; Jeremy Freiburghaus SUI 73 67 74; Khaled Attieh KSA 70 72 72
