Francesco Laporta tops leaderboard

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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