Final round of Kenya Open to be broadcast live as Justin Harding looks to protect two-shot lead

Justin Harding took control of the Magical Kenya Open after a third-round 64 earned him a two-shot lead in Nairobi.

Harding carded six birdies and also holed out for an eagle-two at the 10th as he raced to 16 under par, two clear of Scott Hend, Kurt Kitayama and Johannes Veerman, with Scotland's Calum Hill just three behind going into the final round.

The European Tour also confirmed that Sunday's final round will be screened live on Sky Sports Golf following a week of "logistical difficulties" in transporting the necessary broadcast equipment to the Karen Country Club from the port of Mombasa.

A statement issued by European Tour Productions read: "We are pleased to confirm the logistical difficulties which have so far impacted the live world feed coverage of the Magical Kenya Open presented by Johnnie Walker have been resolved.

"We will therefore be able to bring you live coverage of the final round on Sunday 21st March 2021 from 9am to 4pm (GMT). While the various logistical difficulties which caused the delay in equipment reaching Karen Golf Club were beyond our control, we fully understand and share the frustrations of our worldwide broadcast partners and golf fans around the world, as well the many Kenyan sports fans who were looking forward to coverage of their National Open.

"We are grateful for the cooperation of the Government of Kenya and its specialised agencies at the port of Mombasa in Kenya who have helped us expedite the clearing of the equipment and we are now pleased to be in a position to show live golf."

Harding was two shots behind Hend and Kalle Samooja overnight, but he wasted little time in wiping out that deficit with two birdies over the first three holes followed by another at the sixth, a hole that Hend then eagled before regaining the outright lead with birdies at seven and nine.

But Harding's thrilling hole-out at the 10th was a key moment for the South African, who birdied the next two holes before dropping his only shot of the day at the 13th, getting back at the last with his 64th shot of an impressive day.

"I played pretty good to be fair," Harding told the European Tour. "I hit it solidly the first 12 holes and managed to make a couple of putts. I holed a wedge on 10 which was an added bonus, then I had my usual struggles on the 13th through the 17th and managed to roll in a good putt on the 18th to give myself a bit of an extra boost.

"It's just a matter of really taking advantage of the par fives and a couple of the driveable par fours and at the end of the day just being one shot better than the next guy. Two shots ahead, you'll probably find that by the time I tee off I'm not going to be leading. It's just going to be a matter of executing plans and trying to get over the line."

Hend stumbled after the turn with back-to-back bogeys at 10 and 11, and he managed only one further birdie at 17 to card a 68 which left him tied for second with the American duo of Kitayama (66) and Veerman, who made nine birdies in a superb course-record 62.

Hill could not get anything going on the front nine and lost ground on the leaders with nine straight pars, but he started the inward run with three consecutive birdies and added one more at the last to get round in 67 and close on 13 under par.

But it was a tough day for two of Hill's fellow Scots who were both in the running after 36 holes, with Connor Syme stumbling to a 71 to slip six off the pace and veteran Richie Ramsay plummeting down the leaderboard, and out of the top 50, after a 77 that included a quadruple-bogey eight at the eighth.