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ngland’s Chris Paisley will take a one- shot lead into today’s final day of the BMW SA Open, but pre- tournament favourite Branden Grace is hot on his heels after a storming finish to round three.
Chasing his first European Tour title, Paisley carded a third- round of 70 at Glendower Golf Club to finish 15- under- par, with Grace just a shot behind after a 66.
Grace’s chances looked to be fading fast when a bogey on the ninth left him six shots off the pace, but the 29- year- old South African birdied five of his last eight holes to pile the pressure on Paisley.
“Being tied for the lead isn’t a position I’ve been in a lot,” the 31- year- old from Hexham said, after a round containing three birdies and a solitary bogey on the 16th.
“I’m really proud with how I’ve played, I felt really calm and never really felt stressed.
“Obviously playing with Gracie, who’s won God knows how many times on Tour and obviously is a great player, and in his home country . . . I’m sure the crowd is going to be on his side. I’m just really excited about it.”
Grace, who became the first man to shoot 62 in a Major in last year’s Open Championship, claimed the most recent of his eight European Tour wins on home soil in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in November.
“I got frustrated out there to be quite honest,” Grace admitted. “I thought I hit the ball superbly through 13 holes, but just couldn’t get it in the hole.
“I ’m looking for ward to tomorrow big time. I’ve played myself right back into it and I’m really excited going into tomorrow. It will be a big advantage to have that home support.”
France’s Adrien Saddier, who shared the halfway lead with Paisley, could only manage a third round of 73 to fall three shots off the pace alongside American Chase Koepka and South Africa’s Jacques Blaauw.
South Africa’s Darren Fichardt is a shot further back after surging through the field with a brilliant 64 which featured eight birdies in the last 12 holes.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy hit out yesterday at what he feels has been an overreaction to news that he has an irregular heartbeat.
The 28- year- old endured an injury- plagued 2017 season and said in September he would subject himself to “basically a full health MOT type of thing”.
And McIlroy revealed that tests showed he has an irregular heartbeat, but insists it is not a cause for major concern.
He posted on In s t a g ra m : “Yesterday I did an interview where I spoke about a range of topics regarding the last three months of my life.
“I touched upon a recent finding from a routine health and wellness check.
“Like anything, the deeper you dig the more likely you are to find something. It revealed I had a slight heartbeat irregularity called a flat or inverted T wave.
“It’s really not that big of a deal and nothing to worry about, apart from getting an annual check up, like you should do anyway.
“I feel there’s been a big reaction to it in the media which there really shouldn’t be.
“I’m fit and healthy and can’t wait to get my 2018 season started in Abu Dhabi next week.”
McIlroy, who failed to win a tournament last season for just the second time in his professional career, ended his year early due to a rib problem, but that is no longer an issue.
“The rib’s fine, no problems whatsoever,” he said.
“I had an MRI scan on my thoracic spine and all was OK.
“But I’ve got a bit of an irregularity with my heart that I have to keep on top of.
“I have a flat T- wave and I’ll have to get an echo ( cardiogram) on my heart every six months and an MRI scan every year.
“I suffered a really bad viral infection in China 18 months ago and they told me that’s the reason that I have this thickening of my left ventricle and there’s a bit of scar tissue.
“For now, I just need to stay on top of it and have to stay fit. Hey, I was planning on doing that anyway.”