Tom Vaillant joins Zander Lombard in the lead

Zander Lombard started the day with a one-shot lead at the Soudal Open and fired six birdies and one bogey for a 66 to reach 13-under and retain a share of the lead at Rinkven International Golf Club.

“It was just really solid,” said the South African. “It was tricky today, being late in the field. The greens got a bit trampled, and it was really a hot day today, so it started getting a bit firm and a bit more bouncy. I think this weekend’s conditions are going to be really tricky.

“It’s as simple as more of the same, just keep ticking my boxes. I gave myself a lot of opportunities today, and I think I only missed two greens. So, there was a lot of putting out there and reading the greens, but I just want to have a lot of chances tomorrow, keep hitting the fairways and the greens. It sounds very simple and bland, but that’s good golf; it’s pretty boring.

“I’ve been pretty aggressive off the tee. My woods are kind of my strong points this week, so I’m leaning on them and trusting on them, and hopefully they behave this weekend.

“Since my injury is almost two years ago, and a year and a half after the surgery, so it’s nice to just be back in the mix. Just before the surgery, I was 86 in the world, and top ten on the DP World Tour and playing great golf. It’s nice to see that I’m still capable of that, and I feel like I’m doing that again. I feel like I’m out to try and win now, and hopefully, it’s this weekend.”

France’s Tom Vaillant carded a bogey-free, 7-under 64 to join Lombard in the lead.

“It was very solid,” he said. “I think it’s my fourth bogey‑free round in the last six, so it was pretty good. I’m playing well, I’m enjoying it out there, back in Europe finally, so it feels good.

“I’m just hitting a lot of greens. Even if I’m on the fat side, just putting for birdie is the main thing. Then I know on the shots where I feel confident, I can go for it, so I’m just giving myself 18 opportunities per round.

“Just staying patient and giving myself as many birdie chances as I can — that’s the main thing. If I’m making putts, I will go low, and if not, I’ll still try to shoot a good round, whatever happens.”

Five players are tied in third place at 10-under including England’s Ben Schmidt who made six birdies and one bogey for a 66.

South Africans Casey Jarvis (bogey-free/65) and Richard Sterne (two bogeys/68) share third place with Dane Jacob Skov Olesen (two bogeys/68) and Spain’s Jorge Campillo (one bogey/66).

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