Springbok Van Rooyen set to do battle with Finn Pulkkanen all over again
Erik van Rooyen will take a two-shot lead into today’s final round of the Hainan Open after carding a 67 during day three in China yesterday.
The South African has been in imperious form all week, and after scores of 67 and 65 Van Rooyen claimed the 36-hole lead in Sanya.
The 27-year-old continued his impressive scoring by bagging five birdies and holing out for an eagle from 90 yards at the par-4 12th.
Despite temporarily losing his composure on the par-4 15th – where an errant drive led to a doublebogey – Van Rooyen signed for his third sub-70 score of the tournament and a 17-under-par total.
His nearest challenger is Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen, who is two shots back.
Van Rooyen held a oneshot lead over Pulkkanen going into the final round of last month’s Kazakhstan Open – which Pulkkanen went on to win in a play-off.
The pair will lock horns once again today and van Rooyen is excited for their rematch.
“I am looking forward to tomorrow and it should be a great battle,” he said.
“Tapio is a very fun guy to play with. Congratulations to him for winning Kazakhstan – he is a very high-calibre player and it was a great victory for him.
“I made some really nice putts today – I made a really good birdie at 11, then went on a great run.
“I eagled 12 and then made another birdie at 13 too, and I guess when you are playing well things fall into place for you.
“The wind started picking up when I got to the 15th and I was hitting into it so I thought that I should take a driver.
“In hindsight, I should have taken a three-wood off of the tee. But that was the only bad swing I made today.
“The game plan that I have had has worked pretty well so far. I am going to have to look at the weather forecast for tomorrow and that might change a few things depending on whether it is wet and windy.
“I have been hitting a tonne of fairways and am also putting really well. So if I continue to do that I should be good tomorrow.”
Scotland’s Grant Forrest is lying in third on 13-under-par after adding his second consecutive 68.
Also impressing during yesterday’s third round in China was 17-year-old amateur Lin Yuxin.
The home favourite made six birdies during a bogey-free 66 to move into the top five in Sanya and become the highestranked Chinese player in the field.