American Bryson DeChambeau carded two eagles as he took a two-shot lead following the third round of the inaugural LIV Golf event in South Africa on Saturday, as home favourites Southern Guards led the team competition at Steyn City.
Two-time US Open winner DeChambeau carded a seven-under-par 64 on another low day of scoring for a tournament total of 21 under par, putting him two shots ahead of South Africa's Branden Grace.
Southern Guards, made up of Grace and compatriots Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester and Charl Schwartzel, lead the team competition on a cumulative total of 60 under par ahead of Fireballs and overnight leaders Torque, who are both on 58 under.
AMAZING CROWD
“We're feeding off the energy at the moment,” Oosthuizen said. “Today we really felt the energy, and obviously Dean and Branden are playing well, so I think we can just go tomorrow and pull this thing through.”
“I'm so proud of all the guys,” Burmester said, “and for us to be in the hunt for the team thing is incredible.”
DeChambeau will be seeking his second consecutive individual LIV Golf title, having won last week in Singapore. He produced two eagles on Saturday, including a hole out from 45 feet at the par-4 fifth. He then parred 11 of the next 12 holes, the only non-par coming with his second eagle of the day at the par-5 10th.
Grace’s only LIV Golf individual title came in 2022 when the league made its US debut in Portland. He birdied his final two holes to move into solo second.
Jon Rahm has top-5 finishes – including a win in Hong Kong – in each of the first four tournaments this season. He birdied seven of his first 10 holes and was bogey-free for the week until suffering a bogey at the par-4 15th.
Ancer shot a bogey-free 64 and will be looking for his second LIV Golf individual title.
The first LIV Golf event on African soil is expected to draw over 100 000 people over the four days with the weekend sold out at the Jack Nicklaus-designed par-71 course.
ROUND 3 SCORES:
- 21 Bryson DeChambeau 63 65 64
- 19 Branden Grace (SA) 64 66 64
- 18 Abraham Ancer 66 65 64, Jon Rahm 65 66 64
- 17 Dean Burmester (SA) 67 64 65, Thomas Detry 66 67 63, David Puig 66 64 66
- 16 Charles Howell 63 68 66, Carlos Ortiz 67 65 65
- 15 Richard Bland 66 66 66, Sergio Garcia 64 70 64
- 14 Cameron Smith 66 67 66
- 13 Scott Vincent 66 68 66
- 12 Talor Gooch 65 67 69
Notables
- 12 Louis Oosthuizen 69 68 64, Charl Schwartzel (both SA) 66 70 65
- 9 Dustin Johnson 68 71 65
- 7 Phil Mickelson 75 67 64
Additional reporting from LIV Golf