Italy’s Francesco Laporta started on the back nine and fired seven birdies, four of them consecutively from the 2nd, as well as one bogey to close with a 6-under 64 and take a one-shot lead at 10-under at the Investec South African Open Championship.

“I played some good golf today. I made some good saves. This morning there was no wind so I tried to take advantage of that, and the last few holes the wind was coming up so it was getting tricky,” said Laporta.

“I had quite good tee-shots today and on this kind of course, if you hit the driver or tee-shot pretty straight you get a lot of opportunities. My tee-shot was the strongest and the short game and the putting was really good.

“I like South Africa, I like to play in South Africa. [He spent three years playing on the Sunshine Tour from 2013] It’s been my second home for a long time and this type of course and grass reminds me a bit of Johannesburg. The course is tough, the fairways are tight and there’s a lot of rough so you have to be straight. I like it.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it like last week, I’m feeling good and two days to go.”

England’s Nathan Kimsey carded a bogey-free 65 and briefly topped the leaderboard but currently lies in second place at 9-under.

South African Dean Burmester signed for a bogey-free 67 for solo third place at 8-under, one shot ahead of compatriots Hennie Du Plessis (ten birdies, three bogeys/63) and Herman Loubser (four birdies, one bogey/67) who are tied in fourth place alongside England’s Joe Dean, one of the overnight co-leaders, who made four birdies and two bogeys for a 68.

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