Antoine Rozner signs for a four-under 68 to sit on 14 under after third round of the Mauritius Open; fellow Frenchman Julien Brun two back on 12 under after a 67; watch the final round of the Mauritius Open from 8am on Sunday on Sky Sports Golf
Saturday 17 December 2022 14:33, UK
Antoine Rozner will take a two-stroke lead into the final day of the Mauritius Open after winning his up-and-down battle with the wind to shoot a third-round 68.
The Frenchman, one of three co-leaders overnight, began with back-to-back bogeys in tough conditions but settled himself to land seven birdies in a four-under round that left him on 14 under.
Compatriot Julien Brun is his nearest challenger on 12 under, one clear of South Africa's Oliver Bekker and two ahead of another Frenchman, Pierre Pineau, and the Finn Sami Valimaki.
Rozner said: "It was tough out there. It was blowing a lot more than yesterday. It wasn't easy at all. The long game was tough and the putting was even worse, I thought.
"I struggled a little bit. I had a big putt on the fourth that helped me a lot."
That uphill 25-footer at the fourth sparked a run of five birdies in 10 holes, albeit punctuated by a bogey at the 10th, before a birdie-birdie finish put clear water between the leader and the field.
A two at the short 17th owed everything to a seven iron off the tee, kept low to combat the breeze, and his second to the par-five last almost resulted in an eagle before Rozner eventually tapped in for a four.
"I wish I could have maybe holed a couple more at the end but it is what it is and one more round to go," said the 29-year-old, who lost out on the title in a play-off three years ago. "I feel like I missed a lot of opportunities but I still shot four under, so in those conditions it's pretty good."
Brun was one of five to shoot a five-under 67 on the day, but neither of the other overnight leaders - Valimaki and Spain's Alfredo Garcia-Heredia - managed to break par.
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