Fleetwood leads in Durban

European Tour
  • January 11, 2014

England’s Tommy Fleetwood carded a three-under 69 for a one-shot lead ahead of the final day of the Volvo Golf Champions in Durban.

While he struggled on the back-nine, Fleetwood closed the day with a birdie on the 18th to go ahead of Frenchman Victor Dubuisson and Dutchman Joost Luiten.

Earlier local favourite Louis Oosthuizen had his nose in front at 10-under-par, but things went pear shaped on the 16th where he carded a triple bogey after he hooked his drive.

Oosthuizen had played many outstanding recovery shots on the day – on one occasion with a left-handed swing from behind a tree – but that time he decided not to play it safe following the poor tee-shot.

He nonetheless birdied the 18th and was two shots behind the 23-year-old Englishman who could easily have been further clear of the field had it not been for a few errors he made playing from the rough.

On the exiting side of proceedings round two’s albatross-man Luiten came close to acing the final hole and will be furious with himself that he could not convert the six-feet eagle putt he had on the short par-four.

Eagle would have given him a share of the lead, but at the end he had to be content with the two-under 70 he returned at the Durban Country Club.

While it would appear that putting has become slightly easier on the course, fairway accuracy would not have improved as cross-winds continued to have an influence on the field.

Meanwhile Welshman Jamie Donaldson is also in the hunt after his 68 in round three.

He is five-shots off the lead along with Charl Schwartzel who hit one of the most remarkable recovery shots on the same hole that cost countryman Oosthuizen so dearly.

Schwartzel pulled his tee-shot, which landed on the car-path, and hit his second over trees and a bunker to within 10 feet from the hole.

He missed the birdie which would have brought his total for the day to five and complimented the eagle he made on the third.

But the round of the day belonged to Englishman Paul Casey who carded a seven-under 65 for a tie of tenth place after a less-than-convincing opening two day.

It was also the lowest round of the tournament and there is no doubt he would be hoping for further improvement on the final day as he is six behind Fleetwood.

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