Max Homa shot a 69 in the third round to maintain a one-shot lead in the Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City. The American, who is making his debut in South Africa, has only dropped a single shot in 54 holes and finished the third round on 13 under-par.
Homa is now leading France’s Matthieu Pavon by just one stroke, with both players having shared the top spot on the leaderboard overnight. Danish duo Nicolai Hojgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen, who both shot a 69, are two shots behind Homa and are still in contention. England’s Dan Bradbury is a further shot back after shooting a 71.
Pavon had five birdies and a bogey in his first 14 holes, but back-to-back dropped shots on the 15th and 16th allowed Homa to overtake him on the leaderboard. Homa’s only dropped shot in three days came on the par three fourth hole, and his consistent performance in hitting fairways and solid putting were standout features of his play.
Homa managed to score his first eagle on the par five 10th hole to offset his earlier blemish. As a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, Homa is seeking his first victory on the European circuit, which includes a number of events in Africa. Meanwhile, England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who has won the last two Nedbank Golf Challenge tournaments, could only manage a 71 on Saturday, coming to a total of seven under-par, trailing Homa by six shots.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
