Louis Oosthuizen takes the lead halfway through the final round at Sun City
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen shot into the lead of the Nedbank Golf Challenge (NGC) halfway through the final round on Sunday.
Oosthuizen, who started the day two shots behind leader Sergio Garcia, had drawn level with the Spaniard by the third hole.
Garcia dropped a shot on the first‚ which seemed to hold a few demons on Sunday‚ before Oosthuizen made his move on the third.
The South African nudged ahead of Garcia with a birdie on the fifth but by then England’s Lee Westwood was closing in.
Westwood‚ a champion here in 2010 and 2011‚ eagled the second and scrambled well before a birdie on the eighth handed him a share of the lead after Oosthuizen bogeyed the same hole.
Westwood was 10-under through nine but Oosthuizen went one better when he birdied that hole.
Garcia continued with his measured approach to this testing lay-out.
He has been patient all week and only rarely went in search of the pins.
While Oosthuizen only just made it onto the island green in two on the ninth Garcia opted to lay up.
Through nine holes Oosthuizen led Westwood and Garcia by one‚ while England’s Ross Fisher also nudged closer to the leaders with three birdies in the first 10 holes.
He was two shots off the pace while Belgium’s Thomas Detry was three behind.
The big mover on the final morning was China’s Haotong Li who scorched to seven under for the round after 14 holes.
His outward nine was completed in 31 shots‚ with the cherry on top an eagle on the picturesque ninth.
England’s Chris Paisley played with similar intent carding eight birdies in his round of 67.
Bogeys on the 17th and 18th however slammed the brakes on his round.