The sun rises at Fancourt Golf State. It was about time. Outeniqua, Montagu and The Links have dawned in favourable conditions and without the wind and rain of the first two days. The rotation on the three tournament courses has now been completed and therefore we have the real picture of the leaderboard after the first 54 holes. Very good news for ours: Víctor Pastor (-8) and Quim Vidal (-7) speed up, get into the top positions of the Dimension Data Pro Am and tomorrow they will fight to win their first tournament on the Challenge Tour. Special mention to Victor, fifth on the leaderboard and who has delivered 65 strokes in Montagu, the best overall card of the day. Quim Vidal with a solid four under par is on the verge of the top 10 and only three strokes from second place. The two Spaniards will fight tomorrow to give the first title of the season to the Armada in a historic victory that would open the Spanish victories’ tally of the Challenge in South Africa. Nobody has achieved it so far.
With eighteen holes to go, the Frenchman David Ravetto (-12) remains the tournament leader who in his 47th tournament on the circuit will seek to make his debut in the tournament winners’ circle tomorrow. Two years ago in Portugal his compatriot Pineau closed the doors of victory in a tight playoff. Precisely Pineau (-9) will be one of his great rivals tomorrow for the final victory. Another Frenchman, Benjamin Herbert (-9) joins them in the leading quartet along with the local Franklin Manchest (-10).
Seven of the twelve best-placed players have played today in The Links. It is a fact that today the weather has been much more favourable than in the previous two rounds and the toughest course of the tournament has not been as hard as in previous rounds. Playing today in The Links was an advantage and they have known how to capitalise on it.
The early bird catches the worm says the saying, Víctor Pastor could rename it: The early bird gets the golf help. “I used to think it was luck but the reality is that I like to go out early and I play better in that stretch” Pastor has acknowledged. The Andalusian jumped to Montagu at 7:20 in the morning intending to recover from the stumble of 24 hours ago in which he signed five over par, albeit in very difficult conditions. If yesterday he started with two double bogeys and a bogey in the first three flags, today he went out with the intention of turning the situation around. Thought, said and done. Four birdies in his first five holes returned him to the top positions with a 10-meter putt included. Victor has built his round on taking advantage of the longest holes on the course and not making mistakes and waiting for opportunities on the other flags. He was a palm short of signing the eagle on hole 18 of Montagu. Victor’s round was so solid that there is no five on the entire day’s card. Olé.
For the second consecutive week, the Cordovan will be fighting for victory: “it will come out or it will not come out but I am showing the level to be on top”. Sooner or later he is making it clear that if he maintains the pace the victory will come. Tomorrow he repeats in Montagu so Victor is clear that he must repeat today if he wants to have a chance. The lead is four strokes away, but second place is only two away. Winning is important, but also scoring as many points as possible.
On the other hand, Quim Vidal has continued very regular in his tone of the whole week. Another great round under par with constant results and that allow him to be currently the thirteenth. Today in Oteniqua he has delivered a card without any blur and with four hits for a total of 68. Tomorrow he will look for that great round in Montagu that allows him to aspire to everything in George. His adaptation to the circuit is being meteoric after triumphing last season on the Alps Tour. Wood of great things.
In a not so positive section, Lucas Vacarisas, Joel Moscatel and Javi Sainz do not pass the cut and say goodbye to the tournament. Vacarisas and Moscatel will compete next week in Kenya on the DP World Tour, while Javi Sainz will close the South African Challenge Tour tour at the Nelson Mandela Bay Championship.
Tomorrow’s starting order is marked by the Pro Am classification. Victor’s pair has not passed the cut so the Spaniard will go out early and not in the final star matches. He will try to set a low score and put pressure on those who go out in the last matches of the day.
