Cape Town - Darren Fichardt kept his cool after giving away four strokes in three holes on Saturday, and his patience paid off as he worked his way back into a one-stroke lead after a rain-hit third round of the 20th Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt near George.
He finished the day on a total of 11-under-par after carding a level-par 72 on the Montagu course, leaving him one clear of Tjaart van der Walt, and a further shot ahead of Branden Grace.
That was after all the players had completed a round on each of the Outeniqua and Montagu courses and The Links at Fancourt ahead of the cut to 65 players and ties.
"It was very difficult out there, especially the front nine," said Fichardt.
"It was raining, and although it didn’t feel like the wind was blowing that hard, gee, it blew big time. For example, I had 200 yards for a three-iron on the eighth. I hit it a beautiful three-iron into the middle of the dam. I couldn’t believe it. It must have flown 160".
Scores after the third round of the Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt near George on Saturday:
206 - Darren Fichardt (RSA) 69 65 72
207 - Tjaart van der Walt (RSA) 68 68 71
208 - Branden Grace (RSA) 71 68 69
209 - Justin Walters (RSA) 72 66 71, Jacques Blaauw (RSA) 72 69 68
210 - Jaco Van Zyl (RSA) 70 71 69
211 - Lyle Rowe (RSA) 70 71 70, Keith Horne (RSA) 71 72 68, Andrew Georgiou (RSA) 71 67 73, Hennie Otto (RSA) 68 70 73
212 - Danie van Tonder (RSA) 66 72 74, Merrick Bremner (RSA) 70 75 67
213 - Wallie Coetsee (RSA) 69 74 70, Callum Mowat (RSA) 73 71 69, Oliver Bekker (RSA) 68 70 75
214 - Justin Harding (RSA) 66 74 74, Jean Hugo (RSA) 74 69 71, Neil Schietekat (RSA) 73 70 71,Dawie Van der Walt (RSA) 68 74 72, Estanislao Goya (ARG) 69 71 74
215 - Jordan Smith (ENG) 71 68 76, Tyrone Mordt (RSA) 72 68 75, Martin Rominger (SUI) 72 72 71
216 - Ruan de Smidt (RSA) 68 76 72, Pablo Martin Benavides (ESP) 72 74 70, Kevin Rundle (RSA) 71 73 72, Shaun Norris (RSA) 75 70 71, George Coetzee (RSA) 66 73 77, Peter Karmis (RSA) 74 66 76, Dean Burmester (RSA) 75 72 69
217 - Andrew Marshall (ENG) 73 72 72, Makhetha Mazibuko (RSA) 76 70 71, Tyrone Ryan (RSA) 74 72 71, Jaco Ahlers (RSA) 68 70 79, James Kamte (RSA) 74 68 75
218 - Brandon Stone (RSA) 75 66 77, Derick Petersen (RSA) 75 70 73, Madalitso Muthiya (ZAM) 69 75 74,Divan van den Heever (RSA) 72 70 76, Attie Schwartzel (RSA) 71 75 72, PH McIntyre (RSA) 74 72 72, Heinrich Bruiners (RSA) 74 72 72, Vaughn Groenewald (RSA) 74 71 73
219 - Neil Cheetham (ENG) 75 68 76, Daan Huizing (NED) 70 77 72, Phillip Archer (ENG) 77 71 71, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (FRA) 72 71 76, Ross McGowan (ENG) 70 73 76, CJ du Plessis (RSA) 70 74 75,Ulrich van den Berg (RSA) 69 74 76
220 - Grant Veenstra (RSA) 74 72 74, Rhys Enoch (WAL) 76 71 73, Anthony Michael (RSA) 75 70 75, Steven Ferreira (RSA) 71 72 77, JC Ritchie (RSA) 71 70 79, JJ Senekal (RSA) 75 67 78, Garth Mulroy (RSA) 70 73 77, Sebastien Gros (FRA) 74 73 73, Jeff Inglis (ENG) 76 71 73
221 - Scott Henry (SCO) 71 78 72, Ockie Strydom (RSA) 70 70 81, Charl Coetzee (RSA) 70 71 80, Trevor Fisher Jnr (RSA) 74 69 78
222 - Keenan Davidse (RSA) 73 70 79, Michiel Bothma (RSA) 77 71 74, Calvin Caldeira (RSA) 74 71 77, Andrew McLardy (RSA) 72 76 74, Andre Bossert (SUI) 77 73 72, Zander Lombard (RSA) 72 72 78, Jacques Kruyswijk (RSA) 75 70 77, Kevin Stone (RSA) 71 72 79, Steve Surry (ENG) 73 75 74