Branden Grace knows what it would mean if he were to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club today. And he's ready for it.
The South African starts the final round three shots behind leader Scott Jamieson of Scotland. The last South African winner of this tournament was Trevor Immelman in 2007. Asked if he was looking forward to being in contention for "Africa's Major", Grace's answer was emphatic.
"Big time."
Grace signed for a 68 yesterday to place him on five under, and chasing the eight-under-par lead of Jamieson.
"This is one of those events you grow up watching as a South African, and this is probably the event as a South African you want to win. It's 'Africa's Major' for a reason, and it's one of those you're going to have to play well to win. Hopefully I can do that," said Grace, who hasn't played the front nine well all week but has scored incredibly well on the back nine here.
Frenchman Victor Dubuisson kept himself in contention on seven under with a third round of 71, and Jamieson produced a 67 as he goes in search of a second European Tour title, which would also be a second in South Africa.
Jamieson won the rain-shortened Nelson Mandela Championship in 2012, and is now in line for easily the biggest win of his career.
"Yeah, it would be the biggest moment of my career. I'll be well aware of that. I've got to see if I can step up to the challenge," he said.
On Saturday he was certainly up to the immense challenge this course has posed for this European Tour field, making not a single bogey.
The past three rounds have confounded most of the professionals and left their caddies also scratching their heads as they've tried to figure out the swirling wind that makes club selection so difficult here.
"I think I made only five bogeys (the past three days), which is actually a good effort," Kaymer said after his 69 to also be on five under. The former winner of this tournament is hoping a lesson from Gary Player earns him a second title here today.
"I worked a little bit on the short game with Gary Player. We had a sponsor's day in Germany and he took me aside and I had a little lesson from him. He's always very supportive of my game and always tries to help me. I'm very excited to tell him that I actually had a chip-in today. It was a tough one, so I think he will be very pleased."
Ahead of Kaymer and Grace, overnight leader Dubuisson did well to keep himself in this tournament on a day when his putter didn't share his enthusiasm to win this event.
"I played as good as the first two rounds but my putting was maybe not as good. I missed some good opportunities, but the problem is I felt like all day I had tricky, downhill putts, and I couldn't really go for it because I didn't want to. The course, it's a really tough course," he said.
Patience will certainly be the key for this year's champion, with the Gary Player Country Club course playing as tough as it can this week, and definitely tougher than it has over the past few years of this tournament.
After two rounds, Ireland's Shane Lowry predicted that the winning score wouldn't reach double figures.
That should suit Grace. "I'm a grinder and I'm a fighter."..