Dec 22,2024
England's Eddie Pepperell remained on course to secure a wire-to-wire victory and his first DP World Tour title since 2018 after day three of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
Pepperell, who is bidding to regain his full playing privileges after missing out by a shot at the qualifying school, carded his fourth birdie of the day on the 18th to complete a 69 and join South Africa's Dylan Naidoo on 11-under-par.
FULL LEADERBOARD
Naidoo had set the clubhouse target after a superb 66 which included six birdies in the first seven holes, with Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen a shot off the lead following a 69.
Ireland's Gary Hurley is ten off the leaders on one-under after carding a one-over 73. The Waterford man was six adrift at the start of play but dropped back today following an erratic third round during which he had six birdies, three bogeys and two double bogeys.
Reflecting on his showing, Pepperell told Sky Sports: "I felt like I hit the ball well off the tee, which you needed to do out there.
"There were a few tough shots with the crosswinds that if you let one go you'd end up in trouble - I did on 14, although ironically that was with a four iron.
"I didn't feel great with my irons to be honest and on a day like today you really need to have great control to shoot six, seven under par.
"The way I'm managing my game, the way the conditions are, if you offered me that ball-striking tomorrow I would take it, weighted towards better driving, because I think I can get round here in three, four, five under par managing myself and my game well and that could be enough in windy conditions."
Naidoo (above) looked capable of opening up a sizeable lead when he birdied the first and followed a par on the second with five straight birdies from the third, but could only play the last 10 holes in level par.
"It was really good," the 26-year-old told Sky Sports. "I felt like I stayed in it on every single shot. I had a couple of average breaks that meant I had to find the competitor inside myself and make a couple of 12-footers to save par.
"As good as the front nine was, the back nine was a grind and I'm pleased with the result in the end.
"At the end of the day we still have 18 holes to play. There's still a long way to go. I'm excited to be in this position, I've never been here before.
"I'm excited and I'm just going to take it all in and play as well against myself as I can."
South Africa's CJ Du Plessis made a rare albatross on the 18th, holing his second shot to the par five from 200 yards with a nine iron in a round of 73.
