Wang surges clear with 64 as Harrington struggles again

SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA - NOVEMBER 12:  Jeunghun Wang of Korea celebrates a birdie on the 18th green during the third round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player CC on November 12, 2016 in Sun City, South Africa.  (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Par five play can make or break a professional and it’s been killing Pádraig Harrington in the $7m Nedbank Golf Challenge where he was tied 59th with a round to go after a third round 75 at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.

A triple bogey eight at the second followed by par fives at the ninth, 10th and 14th took his tally for the par-fives to two over for the week, which is nine shots worse that Jeunghun Wang, who produced a spectacular 64 to take a three stroke lead over Louis Oosthuizen (70) into today’s final round.

The 21-year-old Korean, already a two-time winner in this his rookie year on tour, carded six birdies and an eagle in gusting, swirling 20 miles per hour winds at the notoriously difficult Gary Player Country Club to put himself in prime position for what could be a career-changing victory at the US$ 7 million event which is often referred to as ‘Africa’s Major’.

The next best round three score from a world-class field was a four under 68 from England’s Andy Sullivan who moved to seven under and into third position.

Sullivan is a stroke behind home favourite Oosthuizen who, despite a bogey-bogey finish, took second place after his round of 70 to finish the day on eight under and three back from the leader.

World number four Henrik Stenson (four under), number 15 Branden Grace (five under) and number 17 Alex Noren (five under) will all be hoping to replicate Wang’s incredible third round performance when they do battle for the Nedbank Golf Challenge trophy.

Harrington followed his eight with a bogey and then back to back birdies at the fourth and fifth. However, he bogeyed the eighth and parred home from there to end the day on 10 over par.

Jeunghun Wang

“I hit it really well today. I played really good, and I’m really happy to have made this far. I was trying to save par and trying to make birdie and keep going. It was a fantastic round for me.

“I saw my shot on the tenth the leaderboard screens and it was really lucky. The ball hit the rough twice and then kicked right and almost hit the hole. I had a lucky day today.

“I don't want to think about a win right now. I just want to focus on the last 18 holes and just try to do the same as today.”

Louis Oosthuizen

"It was a tough day again. The wind was even worse than yesterday. I played well, I would have been a lot calmer right now if I was one behind instead of three, but I played nicely.

"I can't really look at what happened on the last two greens. I got the pace on both of the first putts wrong and had a few good putts on the second one. It's not nice finishing like that, but I'm hitting it well. So I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Andy Sullivan

“I didn't have a very good warmup today, so I was a bit struggling with my irons. I didn't get off to a good start. The putt at the first kept me in it really. So it was nice to see the ball going in. It was just kind of a shocker, to be honest with you, my second shot at the first.

“I have not hit a fat hook before, so it’s not great going forward. But I managed to find something there down the back nine and managed to get it in in a decent number.

“It (Jeunghun Wang’s score) was probably one of the easiest 64s in those kinds of conditions that I have seen. He's absolutely flushed it. He's not missed many shots and when he did, he chipped it absolutely stone dead. It was very impressive. We’re just trying to hang on to his coattails and hopefully go at it again tomorrow.”

Branden Grace

“The wind was playing quite a bit stronger than it was in the past couple of days, but it was a grind out there. I didn't get off to the best of starts. I actually hit it pretty good, just two silly wedge shots cost me two bogeys.

“But I played the back nine pretty steady. I went on a run of a few birdies in a row, which was helpful and I managed not to make any mistakes coming in. So I know I'm quite far behind, but anything can happen on this golf course.”

Alex Noren

“It's tricky out there, very tricky. It's firming up and it's very windy, and the wind is switching a little bit. I mean, I thought it was a fun day anyway.

“Every shot becomes so much more important. That's why you want to play in these events and under these conditions, but then you've got to handle it.

“I didn't really play that good today. Played quite good in the middle of the round and then a few bogeys here and there. I have got to find some serious magic if I am going to win now.”

Round three scores:

205 J Wang (Kor) 68 73 64, 

208 L Oosthuizen  (RSA) 72 66 70, 

209 A Sullivan (Eng) 72 69 68, 

211 A Noren  (Swe) 69 67 75, B Grace  (RSA) 71 69 71, 

212 H Stenson (Swe) 69 74 69, J Van Zyl (RSA) 69 69 74, 

213 C Wood  (Eng) 69 69 75, V Dubuisson  (Fra) 69 75 69, R Fisher (Eng) 68 72 73, A Cañizares  (Esp) 71 68 74, 

214 R Gouveia (Por) 74 68 72, 

215 S Hend (Aus) 71 71 73, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 76 67 72, R Sterne  (RSA) 74 70 71, 

216 F Zanotti (Par) 70 68 78, S Kjeldsen (Den) 74 71 71, D Willett  (Eng) 75 74 67, D Lingmerth (Swe) 71 72 73, 

217 B Dredge (Wal) 73 69 75, R Paratore (Ita) 71 73 73, N Elvira  (Esp) 75 71 71, T Jaidee (Tha) 76 71 70, L Haotong (Chn) 72 72 73, 

218 C Schwartzel  (RSA) 74 76 68, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 75 72 71, R Bland (Eng) 76 71 71, R Jacquelin (Fra) 74 72 72, J Luiten (Ned) 74 70 74, T Hatton (Eng) 75 71 72, R Ramsay  (Sco) 69 76 73, 

219 D Lipsky (USA) 72 75 72, T Pieters  (Bel) 76 73 70, R Karlberg  (Swe) 71 73 75, 

220 K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 74 72 74, R Goosen (RSA) 73 71 76, G Coetzee (RSA) 69 69 82, L Bjerregaard  (Den) 72 75 73, M Siem  (Ger) 74 73 73, 

221 T Aiken (RSA) 70 74 77, G Bourdy (Fra) 74 76 71, A Johnston (Eng) 75 73 73, 

222 M Southgate  (Eng) 72 68 82, L Jensen (Den) 73 69 80, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 74 72 76, B Hebert  (Fra) 74 73 75, 

223 M Fraser (Aus) 75 73 75, M Manassero (Ita) 73 74 76, M Warren (Sco) 75 73 75, 

224 J Lagergren (Swe) 74 72 78, C Paisley  (Eng) 77 73 74, 

225 R Rock (Eng) 74 73 78, R Cabrera Bello (Esp) 76 72 77, J Carlsson (Swe) 73 77 75, M Kaymer (Ger) 81 75 69, D Horsey (Eng) 71 73 81, M Ilonen  (Fin) 74 75 76, A Otaegui  (Esp) 75 75 75, 

226 R Wattel  (Fra) 74 78 74, S Lee (Kor) 75 72 79, P Harrington (Irl) 76 75 75, 

227 D Drysdale (Sco) 76 75 76, T Olesen (Den) 77 69 81, J Morrison  (Eng) 77 71 79, P Larrazábal (Esp) 76 73 78, 

230 A Levy (Fra) 77 75 78, 

233 J Quesne  (Fra) 70 80 83, 

234 B Stone (RSA) 76 76 82, 

236 L Slattery (Eng) 77 78 81, J Campillo (Esp) 79 77 80, 

** N Holman  (Aus) 77 79 RT, F Aguilar (Chi) 68 75 DQ