Haydn Porteous enters the final round two shots behind England’s Lee Slattery at the D+D Real Czech Masters at the Albatross Golf Resort in Prague.
The 2016 Joburg Open winner was forced to play 33 holes on Saturday as he played catch-up thanks to inclement weather. The young South African showed little sign of fatigue as he started birdie-birdie to get himself going on moving day.
A birdie at the par-three 7th – set up by a wonderful iron from the tee – moved him to -8 for the tournament. He two-putted for birdie on the 10th, and then sank an eight-footer for another birdie on the 12th to move into a share of the lead.
Porteous made just one bogey on Saturday – at the 17th – but responded brilliantly with a birdie on the last to stay within touching distance of Slattery.
‘I played some really good golf out there, especially on the front nine,’ said Porteous after his 67.
‘I was very solid and I think towards the end of the round I started getting a bit tired. I started feeling like McGregor after ten rounds. It was a long day today and I can’t be any happier with a 67.
‘To get myself within two is probably a big momentum shift, as well in terms of going into tomorrow.
‘The bogey on 17 left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, but to come back and make birdie and get myself within reasonable striking distance is all I could have asked for. It’s golf, you’ve got to take it one shot at a time, stay patient and stay in the present, and hopefully by the end of the day I can be victorious.’
Dylan Frittelli and Dean Burmester are in the bunch at five-under after 54 holes. Frittelli carded a third round 70 with Burmester going three better. Erik Van Rooyen matched Frittelli’s efforts on Saturday and is in a share of 22nd place on -3 with Sunday’s final round to play.
Recent Sunshine Tour winner Keith Horne shot 69 on Saturday and is T30, with the last two Saffas to have made the cut – Jaco Ahlers and Zander Lombard – well down the leaderboard after indifferent rounds on Saturday.
Ahlers carded a +4 76, with Lombard dropping from 11th to 68th after an 80 – he managed just one birdie to go with three doubles and three further drops.
