Retief Goosen moved ominously into contention on the third day of the South African Open at the Durban Country Club and is now in position to challenge for his first title of the new year.
Goosen’s three-under par 69 moved the European number one to within two shots of the lead held by his compatriot Tim Clark on 12-under par who went one better with a third round 68. England’s Jonathan Lomas (71) joins Goosen in a tie for second.
Clark, whose 68 included a run of five birdies from the fifth, continues to shine on home soil after starting the week with an impressive 66. However, the South African’s real test will come tomorrow when he feels the presence of the US Open champion breathing down his neck.
Goosen himself has not been entirely satisfied with his game despite carding an eagle and four birdies.
"I've been struggling on the greens all week and the only things I've made seem to be chip-ins," said Goosen, who is challenging for a second victory in his national Open - he previously won in 1995.
"I'm playing okay, not great, but I'm struggling to read the greens. Hopefully tomorrow I can make a couple of putts to get me going. It's very tight at the top so it's going to be an interesting day," said Goosen who also thinks Ernie Els still has a chance of winning.
"Probably Ernie is still in contention six off the lead. We know what happened in Cape Town in December (when Els came from six behind with a last day 65 to win the Vodacom Players' Championship."
Today’s 68 moved Els to six-under and it means the world number five will have to make up six shots again if he is to repeat the same feat as he did last month.
Elsewhere, Mark McNulty will not be defending his title from 12 months ago. The Zimbabwean struggled to a second 73 of the week and is now one-over overall.
Belfast amateur Micheal Hoey sneaked in on the level par halfway cut-mark yesterday but failed to recover from a double six on the opening hole. The British amateur Champion dropped to four-over after a disappointing 76 this afternoon.