Schwartzel sizzles with a 63

Schwartzel: ace at 12

Joburg Open
Third round leaders
SA unless stated
-11 C Schwartzel
-11 D Drysdale (Sco)
-11 A McLardy
-10 J Haeggman (Swe)
-10 A Hansen (Den)
-10 R Goosen

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Home favourite Charl Schwartzel stormed into a share of the lead at the Joburg Open with a superb third round 63.

The Johannesburg native is top of the leaderboard alongside fellow countryman Andrew McLardy and Scot David Drysdale after a rollercoaster of a round that included 10 birdies, two bogeys, a double-bogey and a hole-in-one on the 187-metre 12th.

The 24-year-old Schwartzel's iron play was almost flawless and set up seven of his birdies in the first 10 holes, before his momentum was halted by a double-bogey on the par-four 11th after a poor drive and a missed two-footer for bogey.

But he bounced back immediately with his first professional ace and after three-putting 14 for a bogey and finding water to drop another shot at the par-three 16th, he again came back strongly with birdies at the closing two holes.

World number 68 Schwartzel, who has won three times on the Euuropean Tour, commented: "What a day. Everything went the way I wanted it to and I was hitting the ball close on most holes. I didn't have that much to do with the putter.

"My last hole-in-one was in 1998 when I was 13-years-old. I hit a seven-iron and it just ran into the hole. It felt really good."

Schwartzel - who started the day down in 49th place - is alongside McLardy, whose round of 69 was a much quieter affair, with three birdies mixed with two bogeys.

Late surge

Scotland's halfway leader Drysdale was three over for the day after a double bogey five at the 12th, but clawed his way back into a share of the lead by playing the last six holes in three-under.

The trio are a shot clear of two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen, Swede Joakim Haeggman and Dane Anders Hansen.

Goosen was faultless through his third round, firing a six-under round of 65 at the co-sanctioned European and Sunshine Tour event and was especially impressive at the turn where he picked up four birdies in six holes between holes eight and 13.

He said: "Yeah, it was good coming off the back nine. The first two rounds I had bad back nines. I had good front nines then blowing it on the back nine, so it was good to get a nice finish in.

"It's a great golf course and the first four holes are the toughest you will find on any golf course. I got through those in par and then it was good to get a couple of birdies going on the par fives.

Exciting

"It's going to be an exciting start tomorrow. The first four holes I must try to be par or make one shot better, then I can gain on the field."

Hansen, who followed his 71 and 68 on the opening two days with a 64, said: "Today I was trying to get there, somewhat closer to them (the leaders).

"I was a bit far behind, especially after the first round when I had a terrible start. But I got myself back into the tournament so we'll see what happens."

Defending champion Richard Sterne managed two birdies in his last two holes to move to six-under and just about keep his hopes of winning a third consecutive European Tour title alive.