Golf
Schwartzel still on top
2011-01-16 15:16
Johannesburg - Defending champion Charl Schwartzel has held onto a slender one shot lead on 17 under after 10 holes in the final round of the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington on Sunday.
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Schwartzel got his round off to the perfect start in the light rain with a birdie on the first hole, after a towering iron finished just beyond the hole.
He extended his lead to two shots over Thomas Aiken and Garth Mulroy when he sunk a 20-footer on the third green.
He failed to capitalise when he hit a wayward approach on the fourth, and did well to make bogey from a bad lie in the rough.
Schwartzel showed off his short game prowess as he birdied both the par fives, the sixth and eighth holes coming in.
On the short par four ninth, Schwartzel inexplicably failed to get the ball up and down from the back edge of the green to make bogey.
As the leaders made the turn Mulroy and Aiken were on 16 under, just a shot behind Schwartzel.
The trio all made pars on the tenth with the tournament still up for grabs.