Antalya, Turkey – Victor Dubuisson, the darling of the female fans, put in a charge, as did Rory McIlroy and burly, big-hitting Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, but overnight leader Jaco van Zyl is still at the top of the leaderboard going into Sunday’s final round of the $7-million Turkish Airlines Open.
Leader by two through 36 holes, Van Zyl’s form yesterday was nowhere near that of day one when he shot a spectacular 11-under-par 61 over the Montgomerie Maxx Royal Golf Club course.
But to his credit, he did keep it together on his way to a two-under-par 70 yesterday and now shares the 54-hole lead with the dashing Dubuisson, the winner here in 2013 who holed a 20-footer for a birdie four at the last for a 67 to get to 16-under 200.
Playing behind him, Van Zyl, who had birdied the par-four 17th for the third straight day, parred the last to join him on that number.
Today’s final round will have Van Zyl, the Frenchman and McIlroy drawn together and the 36-year-old South African is looking forward to it. “Look, to be alongside McIlroy is going to be exciting.”
But, he insisted, he won’t be overawed by the occasion. After all, he’s won 13 times in South Africa and he’s known for his calmness under pressure.
Asked what he thought it would feel like to have some of the world’s best players breathing down his neck, Van Zyl replied: “It shouldn’t be an issue because they’ve been breathing down my neck for three days now.
“I didn’t play particularly well today but there were some really tough greens and all day long one had to really concentrate hard to make sure you didn’t miss those four and five-footers (like one, at the 16th, which cost him a bogey).
“I did make some clutch putts, though, to stay in the hunt. All I can do now is to go out there tomorrow and see what the golfing gods have in store.”
Dubuisson birdied four of the last six holes for 67 to put himself in a position to repeat his victory here two years ago.
“You must really love this golf course?” he was asked. “Yeah, yeah, I like it a lot. It’s a course that I feel great one,” Monsieur Victor replied.
McIlroy has had three straight 67s so far and was asked which one he liked the most. “They were all a little different. But I needed to play well coming in today for this one.
“I got off to a low start and didn’t seem to have an energy. I was one under par through nine but played the back nine nicely in four under.
“I think my eagle at 13 (a par-five) was the spark I needed. The pin was behind a bunker without much green to work with and it’s tough to stop it, and my approach was partly luck and partly a good shot to get it close enough to putt for eagle.
“To make three there was a big bonus and turned my day around.”
Aphibarnrat chipped in at the short eighth for a birdie two on his way to racing to the turn in just 30 shots (five under).
Standing in the fairway at the par-five 18th, he needed to hit the green in two – no problem with his power – to make birdie for a 64. But he yanked his approach into the hazard behind the green on his way to a bogey six and 66.
Certainly not out of the picture on 13-under 203 are Korea’s Byeong Hun An after a day’s best 65, and England’s Chris Wood, who was home in 71. England’s Lee Westwood (69) and American Peter Uihlein (67) are together on 204.
The three other South Africans in the 78-man line-up – Charl Schwartzel, Thomas Aiken and Trevor Fisher jr – are all on two-under 214.
Van Zyl said last night he was off to watch a couple of episodes of “ Bones” to relax him ahead of what could be the most important day of his golfing life – chasing down his maiden victory on the European Tour, chasing down McIlroy, and chasing a cool e1-million (about R15m) in first place prize-money.