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Nairobi - Merrick Bremner overcame a slow start on Saturday to card a four-under-par 68 and take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the KCB Kenya Masters at Karen Country Club.
He made an early birdie on the second, but a bogey on five seemed to unsettle him. He made birdie on eight and 10, another bogey on 11, but closed with an eagle on 15 and birdie on 18 to leave him one clear of Tyrone Ryan, Pieter Moolman and Michael Palmer.
“I just tried to stay as patient as I could,” said Bremner. “Obviously the bad shots hurt, but you can’t hang on to that. You just try and forget and fix it for the next one.
“It was initially a bit of a battle for me. I think I struggled a bit until about 14 or 15 and then it just all came together. Finishing eagle-par-par-birdie always helps. That’s never going to leave a sour taste in your mouth.”
Behind him, Ryan was the best of the trio in closest pursuit, with a fine bogey-free seven-under-par 65, while Moolman and Palmer carded a pair of 67s.
A further shot back were JC Ritchie and Daniel van Tonder on 11-under-par for the tournament. Ritchie signed for a 69, while Van Tonder couldn’t replicate his second-round 65 as he recorded a one-under 71.
But the round of the day belonged to Neil Schietekat, who went off early in the morning and raked in eight birdies and an eagle. A single dropped shot saw him home in nine-under-63, which vaulted him into the top 10 at nine-under for the tournament, and just four off Bremner’s pace.
The local challenge fell away somewhat, with Simon Ngige the leading Kenyan at three-under after his third round of level-par 72.
For Bremner, it will be all about harnessing the confidence that has been building through the week as he goes about chasing victory in the final round. “I have taken a lot in terms of confidence from the start of this week, and the result is I’m doing better in a four-round tournament than I have for a long time. I was always rushing things in the past – trying to get away too early.
“I can’t build for tomorrow on what I had today, so I’ve just got to get out there tomorrow and start the grind again.”
