An up-and-down day but Larrazabal is still the man to catch at Leopard Creek
Pablo Larrazabal had mixed emotions despite retaining his three-shot lead after yesterday’s third round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.
The 36-year-old Spaniard carded a two-under-par 70 to advance to 11-under and remain three clear of Holland’s Wil Besseling.
However, having at one stage threatened to surge clear in his bid for a fifth European Tour title, Larrazabal was disappointed as he made five at three of his last four holes.
“It’s disappointing to finish with three fives in the last four holes, but it was playing tricky,” said Larrazabal, whose last win came back in 2015.
“I didn’t play as good as yesterday, but I played pretty solid. My game plan is not three fives in the last four, that’s why I’m disappointed – obviously I’m happy with the lead.
“I hung in there and we will see; it will be a fun afternoon. If I shoot in the 60s these guys are going to have to put some run on to catch me.”
First-round leader Besseling remains second after matching Larrazabal’s 70, with home favourite Branden Grace a shot further back after carding a 71.
Larrazabal birdied the fourth and sixth, but was struggling with his swing and found water for the second day running at the seventh.
An excellent third salvaged a bogey, but a wayward drive at the ninth was fortunate to stay dry and led to another dropped shot.
Larrazabal birdied the 10th before spectacularly chipping in at the 12th to reassert his dominance before holing from 20 feet on the 14th.
Scotland’s David Drysdale lies in a tie for 14th on one-under-par, while compatriots Connor Syme and Calum Hill are two shots further back.
▪ Clark Dennis produced a bogeyfree round of 65, six-under-par, to take a three-shot lead into today’s final round at the inaugural MCB Tour Championship – Madagascar.
The American recorded the lowest round of the week as he made six birdies without dropping a shot, which propelled him to the top of the leaderboard after starting the day four shots off the top.
He began the day with five consecutive pars before making two gains ahead of the turn at the sixth and ninth holes. The patient and controlled approach continued on the back nine as four successive pars were greeted with a flurry of birdies from the 14th to the 16th before he ended the day with a final gain at the last.
Also racing up the leaderboard on day two was 2018 Staysure Tour Rookie of the Year, Paul Streeter, who recovered from three dropped shots in his first three holes, to card five birdies in ten holes, including one on the last to sign for a round of 69 and sit three strokes behind Dennis.
Overnight leader Gary Evans recorded a disappointing round of 73, two-over-par, but remains in contention as part of a chasing pack, including fellow Englishman Barry Lane, Spain’s José Manuel Carriles and Stephen Dodd of Wales, who all share third place four shots off the lead.