Hard work and positive thinking pay off for Zander
ZANDER LOMBARD saw his lead cut to one shot heading into the final round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, after firing a battling 72 at Gary Player Country Club yesterday.
The world number 234 entered day three two ahead but dropped three shots in as many holes from the sixth, to find himself trailing the 2010 Open champion and fellow South African, Louis Oosthuizen.
He reclaimed a share of the lead on the ninth and then came home in 34, to sit at 11 under. That puts him one shot clear of Oosthuizen and Belgian Thomas Detry. Englishman Oliver Wilson was then at eight under after a 67, alongside Swede
Marcus Kinhult.
The performance represents a big upturn in form for Lombard, who had to go back to the qualifying school last season and missed eight cuts in a row in the middle of the season.
‘I’m still in the lead,’ he said. ‘I’ve got to stay positive and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.
‘I don’t want to sound cocky but it’s been a long time coming. I’ve really made big strides in how I do things on and off the golf course.
‘It’s nice to get some feedback and some results from the hard work.’
Oosthuizen almost didn’t play this week and was in pain with kidney stones just hours before his Thursday tee time, but he carded a 71 to stay right in contention alongside Detry, who recorded a 69.
The highlight of Wilson’s 67 was a chip-in on the 15th, while Kinhult recovered from being three over after six holes in a 70.
Defending champion Lee Westwood was at six under, four shots clear of Scotsman Robert MacIntyre, who carded the lowest round of the day with a 65.
Pádraig Harrington posted a third-round 73 to leave him on level par for the tournament, tied for 32nd with Scotland’s Scott Jamieson.
At European Tour Q School in Lumine GC in Spain, Gavin Moynihan shot a secondround 69 which included six birdies and three bogeys. He is in a group of 14 players tied for 22nd, on four under.
The lead is held by England’s Toby Tree and Dane Benjamin Poke on nine under.
Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell is a shot behind Moynihan on three under, with Tramore man Robin Dawson one further back.
Niall Kearney shot a one-over 72 to slip back to level par, while Michael Hoey had a disastrous seven-over 79 to plummet to the bottom of the field.
In Mexico, Harris English added a 64 to his first round 65 to get the clubhouse lead in the rain-delayed Mayakoba Golf Classic yesterday. Graeme McDowell opened his tournament with a 66 and was among the later starters in round two.