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Nairobi - Stephen Ferreira’s domination of the KCB Karen Masters continued on day three of the tournament when he signed for a 68 to stay perched at the top of the leaderboard, albeit with a slender lead, on 20-under-par going into the final round at Karen Country Club.
In a fashion similar to the previous two rounds where he picked up back-to-back birdies on the first few holes, the Portuguese made three birdies on the row after making a par on the first hole. Those were followed by two more pars before making an unwelcomed birdie, thanks to a three-putt on the par-three seventh. He would not make another birdie or bogey on the front nine as he turned in 34. Two pars after the turn were followed by a birdie on the par-five 12th and another one on 14.
Another bogey, this time on the par-five 15th, made its way onto his card before he went par, par and birdie in the last three holes of the round.
“I felt like I was running because it was a bit too pacey for me, you know, obviously, it being a two-ball,” he said after the round.
“But the round went decent. I played really solidly; just two silly bogeys; two little three-putts but other than that, I hit the ball great and putted well despite those two little three-putts.
“It was good fun going head-to-head with Toto (Thimba jnr). He putted brilliantly and made putts left, right and centre. I think we kept each other going. It was good fun out there.”
In another exhibition of great confidence and fine form, Thimba carded an untainted six-under-par 66 to total 19-under and narrow the Zimbabwean’s lead to just a single stroke. On the front stretch, the member of the Gary Player Class made gains on the second, the fourth and the eighth hole. Homewards, he picked up consecutive birdies on 11 and 12 before making another on that par-five 15th before closing with three pars.
“I was so relaxed,” said Thimba who plays out of Silverlakes Golf Club in Pretoria.
“I actually play very well under pressure and today I stuck to my game plan and didn’t change anything. I was putting really well so I can’t complain.”
With an exciting final round anticipated in Nairobi where both he and Ferreira have a real chance of winning - and that’s not discounting the charge being made by JC Ritchie (14-under) and Garrick Higgo (13-under) - Thimba was bullish about his prospects in the capital of Kenya.
“I’m not playing against him (Ferreira),” Thimba clarified, “I’m playing against the course and my goal is always to beat the course. If I do that I will win. I want to win it and I feel good about myself.”
Scores:
196 - Stephen Ferreira 62 66 68
197 - Toto Thimba 68 63 66
202 - JC Ritchie 69 64 69
203 - Garrick Higgo 67 67 69
205 - MJ Viljoen 69 69 67
206 - Keith Horne 70 69 67, CJ du Plessis 69 67 70
207 - Steve Surry 71 70 66, Greg Snow 67 74 66
208 - Estiaan Conradie 69 72 67, Callum Mowat 70 70 68, Jacques P de Villiers 68 69 71, Michael Palmer 69 67 72
209 - Kyle McClatchie 74 67 68, Peetie van der Merwe 69 71 69, David Wakhu 69 70 70, Deon Germishuys 71 67 71, Merrick Bremner 70 68 71
210 - Thriston Lawrence 73 69 68, Keenan Davidse 71 71 68, Kyle Barker 71 70 69, Ockie Strydom 71 70 69, Philip Eriksson 72 68 70, Andrew Odoh 69 70 71
211 - Dismas Indiza 70 73 68, Lyle Rowe 72 71 68, Pieter Moolman 73 70 68, Jaco Prinsloo 70 72 69, Chris Cannon 69 67 75
212 - Daniel van Tonder 73 71 68, Jean Hugo 72 71 69, Jack Harrison 73 70 69, Trevor Fisher Jnr 69 73 70, Heinrich Bruiners 68 73 71, Chris Swanepoel 70 69 73
213 - James Allan 71 73 69, Rizwan Charania 73 71 69, Joe Nawanga 73 70 70, Keelan van Wyk 70 72 71, Madalitso Muthiya 72 70 71, Jake Redman 71 69 73
214 - Fredrik From 73 71 70, Simon Ngige 72 70 72, JJ Senekal 70 71 73, Jaco Ahlers 68 70 76
215 - CJ Wangai 70 74 71, Ruan Korb 74 70 71, Martin Rohwer 68 74 73, Rhys West 71 71 73, Bennie van der Merwe 72 68 75
216 - Ryan Tipping 71 72 73, Aubrey Beckley 71 72 73, Dayne Moore 73 69 74, Ruan de Smidt 71 70 75, Anton Haig 72 69 75
217 - Simon Njogu 74 70 73, Tyrone Ryan 69 75 73, Teaghan Gauche 75 68 74, Wallie Coetsee 71 72 74, Jeff Kubwa 70 71 76, Neil Schietekat 67 73 77
218 - Thabiso Ngcobo 67 75 76
219 - Clinton Grobler 71 72 76
220 - Darin de Smidt 73 69 78
224 - Jastas Madoya 70 74 80
Missed the cut:
145 - Sujan Shah 71 74, Ryan Cairns 73 72, Kyle Pilgrim 75 70, Stefan Wears-Taylor 75 70, Luke Joy 77 68, Luke Mayo 72 73, Makhetha Mazibuko 69 76, Daniel Nduva 70 75
146 - Roberto Lupini 72 74, Benjamin Follett-Smith 75 71, Phillip Kasozi 77 69, Herman Loubser 68 78, Tristen Strydom 71 75, Michael Hollick 77 69
147 - Dylan Naidoo 76 71, Teboho Sefatsa 71 76, Bradley Diggeden 77 70, Jade Buitendag 71 76, Luke Jerling 74 73, DK Kim 72 75, Kenneth Bollo 74 73
148 - Lwazi Gqira 74 74, Joseph W Karanja 77 71, Jacques Blaauw 76 72, Titch Moore 75 73, Combrinck Smit 75 73, Yubin Jung 75 73, Samuel Njoroge 76 72, Scott Campbell 74 74
149 - Paul Boshoff 72 77, Mohit Mediratta 77 72, Dennis Saikwa 75 74
150 - Jared Harvey 75 75, Christiaan Basson 80 70, Ruan Huysamen 74 76, Jacob Okello 74 76, Matthew Wahome 77 73
151 - James Pennington 76 75, Luke Brown 77 74, Sean Bradley 77 74, Trainos Muradzikwa 76 75, Ken Abuto 77 74, Boniface Simwa 74 77
152 - David Opati 76 76, Rourke van der Spuy 77 75, Tony Omuli 78 74, David Odhiambo 75 77, Brian Toolit 75 77, Philip Geerts 74 78, Ronald Rugumayo 75 77, Ainamana Abraham 75 77, Hayden Griffiths 77 75
153 - Erick Ooko Obura 76 77, Duane Keun 77 76, Fritz Orren 77 76, William Weidner 76 77, Wynand Dingle 74 79, David McIntyre 75 78, Hesbon Kutwa 78 75, Kopan Timbe 77 76
154 - Ruan Conradie 78 76, Alfred Nandwa 80 74, Jason Froneman 79 75, Gerrit Foster 80 74, Dylan Mostert 82 72
155 - Sunday Olapade 80 75, Richard Ainley 72 83, Wayne Stroebel 82 73, Mohammad Rauf Mandhu 74 81, Matt Bright 82 73, Deo Akope 80 75
156 - Juran Dreyer 75 81, Paul Chidale 76 80, Frank Matilo 79 77, Alpheus Kelapile 76 80157 - Louis Albertse 78 79, Jason Diab 72 85, Mark Williams 80 77, Caylum Boon 82 75
158 - Edwin Mudanyi 78 80, Njuguna Ngugi 78 80, Fadhil Said Nkya 82 76, Ganeev Giddie 78 80
159 - Victor Kachepatsonga 74 85, Nelson Mudanyi 79 80
161 - Sullivan Muthugia 84 77, Abdallah Yusuf Sanzagala 78 83, Vincent Ikemefume 84 77
167 - Herman Mutawe 84 83
182 - Anthony Gacheru 94 88
RTD - Hendrikus Stoop 81 RTD
