Amateur golfBrian KeoghSouth African Amateur Strokeplay, Casey Jarvis, Rowan Lester, Caolan Rafferty, James Sugrue, Tom McKibbin, Matthew McClean, Robert Brazill, Keith Egan

Lester leads chasing pack as McKibbin lights it up in South African Stroke Play

Amateur golfBrian KeoghSouth African Amateur Strokeplay, Casey Jarvis, Rowan Lester, Caolan Rafferty, James Sugrue, Tom McKibbin, Matthew McClean, Robert Brazill, Keith Egan
Lester leads chasing pack as McKibbin lights it up in South African Stroke Play
Ireland’s Rowan Lester will start the final round of the South African Stroke Play Championship four shots behind South Africa’s Casey Jarvis at Randpark Golf Club. Picture: Ernest Blignault.

Ireland’s Rowan Lester will start the final round of the South African Stroke Play Championship four shots behind South Africa’s Casey Jarvis at Randpark Golf Club. Picture: Ernest Blignault.

Tom McKibbin lit up the third day of the South African Amateur Stroke Play with an incredible eight-under 64 but it’s Hermitage’s Rowan Lester who leads the Irish challenge heading into the final round at Randpark.

The Dubliner carded a three-under 69 to head the chasing pack, four strokes behind overnight leader Casey Jarvis on 14-under par on a day when Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty shot 65 to move up to fourth on 10-under.

While James Sugrue will be frustrated with a 72 that leaves him ten shots off the pace, McKibbin (17) made an eagle and nine birdies in a scintillating effort as Matt McClean shot 67 and Robert Brazill a 68.

Jarvis leads on 18-under par after taking advantage of the rain-softened Firethorn Course by following rounds of 66 and 65 with a 67.

“I just kept it in play really nicely, as I’ve done over the first two days,” said the 16-year-old Boksburg resident. “That’s the key to scoring well here; hitting fairways and greens. I was driving it really well and I’m putting well too. On a course like this, you can score well if you hit the fairways, but if you don’t you can really struggle.

“I got it to 19-under, but I had a three-putt bogey on the 16th. I was still putting really well on the back nine, but a lot of them burned the edge or stopped in the jaws. You just have to accept it and move on; I’m learning how to use the frustration to build positive energy.”

Although happy to sleep on a four-shot cushion, Jarvis is taking nothing for granted with Lester lurking.

“I have always wanted to win the SA Stroke Play and the SA Amateur, but I’m not going to change my strategy for the final round. Rowan is a really good golfer, so I expect him to make a charge. The greens are only going to get firmer, so I am sticking to my game plan. Nothing heroic, just fairways and greens.”

Two off the pace after rounds of 66 and 67, a steady 69 helped Lester to stay in touch.

“It was a really steady round,” said the former North of Ireland winner. “I offset a pair of bogeys with five birdies and the highlight of my round was on the ninth, where I stuck it in the bunker and then holed the trap-shot for birdie to keep the momentum going.

“The greens were much firmer and it was a lot harder to get it out of the rough if you missed the fairways. I’m pretty happy with a 69 and I look forward to a nice battle with Casey tomorrow,”

South Africa’s Kyle de Beer and Dundalk star Rafferty emerged as the next closest challengers. Port Elizabeth’s De Beer matched Jarvis with a 67 to move to 11-under while a seven-under 65 propelled Dundalk golfer Rafferty to fourth on 10-under.

African Amateur Stroke Play Championship winner Vorster and Gloucestershire's Hussain are a further shot back after respective rounds of 71 and 72, with Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation standout Siyanda Mwandla (69) and Sugrue in joint 10th.

Nobody shot lower than Holywood teenager McKibbin (17), who put the frustration of opening rounds of 71 and 75 behind him with a spectacular 64.

The Co Down talent opened up with six straight birdies, bogeyed the seventh and eighth, but then birdied the ninth to turn in 31 (without a par) before racing home in an eventful 33.

After making birdies at the 12th and 13th, he eagled the par-five 14th from five feet to get to nine-under for the day and did well to get up and down for bogey at the 17th when his tee shot ricocheted off the face of a bunker into water.

“I couldn’t get the ball in the hole the last two days and they all went into today,” McKibbin said after improving on his second round score by 11 strokes. “That’s golf really, isn’t it?”

South Africa’s Casey Jarvis opened up a four-shot lead in the third round of the South African Stroke Play Championship at Randpark Golf Club. Picture: Ernest Blignault.

South Africa’s Casey Jarvis opened up a four-shot lead in the third round of the South African Stroke Play Championship at Randpark Golf Club. Picture: Ernest Blignault.

South African Stroke Play Championship, Randpark Golf Club (Par 72)

Detailed scores (RSA unless stated)

198 Casey Jarvis 66 65 67; 

202 Rowan Lester (Irl) 66 67 69; 

205 Kyle de Beer 67 71 67; 

206 Caolan Rafferty (Irl) 70 71 65; 

207 Drikus Joubert 71 68 68, Amilkar Bhana 71 66 70, Nicolas Muller (Fra) 70 72 65, Keagan Thomas 70 69 68, Kieron van Wyk 69 72 66; 

208 Siyanda Mwandla 70 69 69, James Sugrue (Irl) 70 66 72, Martin Vorster 69 68 71, Haider Hussain (Eng) 65 71 72; 

209 Joseph Long (Eng) 72 70 67, Samuel Simpson 71 69 69, Sam Bairstow (Eng) 70 70 69, Tyran Snyders 69 73 67; 

210 Tom McKibbin (Irl) 71 75 64, Olly Huggins (Eng) 70 70 70, Kiet van der Weele (Ned) 70 69 71, Koen Kouwenaar (Ned) 69 69 72; 

211 Aneurin Gounden 73 68 70, Peter Handcock (Eng) 72 72 67, Matthew McClean (Irl) 72 72 67, Nikhil Gopal 72 70 69, Ayden Senger 70 71 70, Nikhil Rama 70 71 70; 

212 Nordin van Tilburg (Ned) 72 73 67, Christo Lamprecht Jnr 72 71 69, James Wilson (Sco) 64 74 74; 

213 Jonothan Broomhead 74 68 71, Ryan van Velzen 72 73 68, Charles Larcelet (Fra) 72 70 71, Christiaan Maas 71 72 70, Yurav Premlall 71 71 71, Christiaan Burke 70 70 73; 

214 Dario Antonisse (Ned) 73 70 71, Robin Williams (Eng) 72 73 69, Luca Filippi 70 75 69, Constantin Unger (Ger) 69 73 72, Connor Wilson (Sco) 67 72 75; 

215 Letsoso Letsai 75 71 69, Robert Brazill (Irl) 71 76 68, Therion Nel 70 77 68, Stuart Easton (Sco) 70 74 71, Shaun Jones 69 74 72; 

216 Tom Vaillant (Fra) 75 72 69, Jordan Duminy 72 72 72, Thabiso Magwaza 69 74 73; 

217 Oliver Goldhill 73 74 70, Elliot Anger (Fra) 73 74 70, Jason Broomhead 73 72 72, Cole Stevens 72 75 70, Stephen Roger (Sco) 70 76 70, Andrew Williamson 70 73 74; 

218 Nash de Klerk 77 70 71, Adam Breen 71 73 74, James Biggs (Eng) 70 72 76, Bob Geurts (Ned) 69 75 74; 

219 Brendan Els 75 71 73, Keith Egan (Irl) 74 71 74, Mandla Dlamini 74 69 76, Darren Howie (Sco) 72 68 79, Louis Liebenberg 70 77 72, James Murray 70 70 79; 

220 Sebastian Sliwka (Ger) 71 75 74; 

221 Warwick Purchase 74 73 74; 

228 Pierre Pellegrin 76 69 83.