Charl Schwartzel carded 67 at Firestone Country Club in the third round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Saturday to rise into a share of fifth place.
The 2011 Masters champ tore through the back nine in 31 strokes to make the clubhouse on a two-under-par total, three shots behind leaders Scott Piercy and Jason Day.
‘It’s a really good course,’ said Schwartzel, currently ranked 24th in the world. ‘I think it’s a golf course that rewards the good player and guys playing well.’
The 31-year-old carded the second-best round on Saturday and moved into a share of fifth alongside Dustin Johnson and William McGirt.
Vereeniging’s finest endured a tough start that included bogeys at the third and sixth, added a birdie at the eighth, and turned in one-over-par.
He caught fire over the second loop, starting with a pair of birdies at the 110th and 11th. Further gains at the 13th, 16th, and 17th put him within a stroke of the lead, but a final drop at the 18th set him back.
‘It was a tough start, but I don’t feel like I hit too many bad shots on the golf course. It’s playing difficult. Each day I feel like hang in there and get one better as the round goes on,’ said Schwartzel.
Branden Grace carded one-over-par 71 in the third round to join a four-way tie for 18th, while Louis Oosthuizen and George Coetzee were tied for 26th.
