England’s Matthew Baldwin had been four shots off pace at halfway through the stage, but made back-to-back birdies on the fifth and sixth holes before picking up more shots on 10 and 13 to take a piece of the lead with Kristian Krogh Johannessen on. 11 under par
Englishman Matthew Baldwin has a piece of the lead at the SDC Championship halfway through his third round.
England’s Matthew Baldwin shot four birdies over the first 13 holes of his third round to join Kristian Krogh Johannessen atop the SDC Championship standings before play was abandoned due to darkness on Saturday night.
Baldwin had been four shots off pace at halfway through the stage, but made back-to-back birdies on fifth and sixth before picking up more shots on 10 and 13 to take a piece of the lead at 11-under.
The 37-year-old, who is bidding for his first DP World Tour title in South Africa this week, narrowly missed another birdie attempt on the 14th before evening light halted the proceedings.
He will return to the course to complete the last nine holes at 8 am Sunday before beginning the fourth round.
Norway’s Johannessen held a three-shot lead at the midpoint of the tournament after finishing his second round with an eagle, five birdies and a bogey on Saturday morning, as the Friday afternoon starters were forced to put on a day after a second day affected by weather. .
He stretched his lead to five shots early in the third round after birdieing in the second to move to 12 under par.
But the 28-year-old hit back in the fourth, and although he birdied the par-3 in the seventh, a bogey on the 11th saw his lead whittled to a single shot as daylight began to fade.
With playing partner Baldwin firing his approach shot at 13 within touch range before birdieing there, Johannessen had company at the top.
Johannessen has a par putt waiting for him when the third round resumes.
England’s Daniel Brown and Dutchman Joost Luiten set the clubhouse target at nine under par to sit in a tie for third with Swede Jens Dantorp.
The second round had seen two holes-in-one on the 17th, with Englishman Dan Bradbury and South African Wynand Dingle hitting aces.
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