Cape Town, Jan 18: Denmark's Anders Hansen fired a four-under-par 68 to share the South African Open third round lead with local player Craig Lile on Saturday (January 17). Lile, one of three overnight leaders, returned a 70 to finish level with Hansen on nine-under 207 at the Erinvale Golf Club. The duo were a stroke ahead of Britain's Stephen Webster, who carded a five-under 67. Defending champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa, after a 69, and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, a 70, were a further stroke back in a tie for fourth at seven under. At one point, six golfers were within a shot of the lead but the difficult par-five 16th and par-four 17th, both played directly into the teeth of the wind, yielded a host of dropped shots.


Immelman bogeyed both holes, Lile dropped at the 16th and Webster and Jacquelin also ran up bogey-fives at the 17th.


Overnight leaders Alastair Forsyth and Nico van Rensburg both slipped down the leaderboard in the third round, Forsyth carding a 74 and van Rensburg a 75.


Leading scores in the third round of the South African Open at the par-72 Erinvale Golf Club (South African unless stated): 207 Anders Hansen (Denmark) 70 69 68, Craig Lile 69 68 70 208 Steve Webster (Britain) 66 75 67 209 Trevor Immelman 71 69 69, Raphael Jacquelin (France) 68 71 70 210 Stephen Dodd (Britain) 65 73 72 211 Darren Fichardt 69 75 67, Brett Rumford (Australia) 64 74 73, Alastair Forsyth (Britain) 68 69 74 212 Charl Schwartzel 77 70 65, Marcus Fraser (Australia) 74 71 67, Nic Henning 75 70 67, Nico Van Rensburg 67 70 75 213 Justin Rose (Britain) 73 72 68, Philip Golding (Britain) 72 73 68, James Kingston 70 73 70, Lee Westwood (Britain) 71 72 70 Ian Poulter (Britain) 71 71 71, Miles Tunnicliff (Britain) 70 71 72, Desvonde Botes 69 71 73 214 David Lynn (Britain) 76 70 68, Shaun Norris 70 73 71 David Carter (Britain) 74 69 71, Simon Wakefield (Britain) 70 69 75, Stephen Scahill (New Zealand) 67 72 75 215 Andrew Marshall (Britain) 73 74 68, Colin Montgomerie (Britain) 68 78 69, David Howell (Britain) 71 74 70, Paul McGinley (Ireland) 76 68 71, Scott Dunlap (U.S) 72 70 73, Alan Michell 68 73 74

Bureau Report