Drysdale toils in Mauritius Open

Tournament: AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at Anahita  Race to Dubai: Tournament 3 of 48 events Venue: Four Seasons Golf Club Mauritius at Anahita  Prize fund: €1,000,000

ThIS image of Justin Harding is displayed by courtesy of Getty Images Round three report In-form Justin Harding fired a stunning 64 to equal the low round of the week and catch overnight leader Kurt Kitayama heading in to the final day at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open leaderboard. The South African, who has won twice on both the Asian Tour and the Sunshine Tour in 2018, has a first European Tour title in his sights after joining Kitayama at 16 under par with a bogey-free round at the Four Seasons Golf Club Mauritius at Anahita. Qualifying School graduate Kitayama of the United States had soared into the halfway lead after back-to-back rounds of 65, and he carded three birdies and a single bogey in a third-round 70 to stay on top. India’s S Chikkarangappa, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and Masahiro Kawamura of Japan - who also secured his 2019 European Tour card through Qualifying School - are three shots behind the co-leaders on 13 under par. Victor Perez of France is in sixth place at 12 under par, with Ireland’s Gavin Moynihan one shot further back. South African Oliver Bekker, Germany’s Max Schmitt, Clément Sordet of France and Scot Grant Forrest are all on ten under par. Scot David Drysdale had a disastrous third round of 79 after earlier scores of 69 and 70. His two-over-par tall places him joint last with two other players going into the final round Player quotes Justin Harding: “I never really like to think about things as I walk down the holes but I really felt like I played pretty well today. I had good control, especially in the first 10, 13 holes. I kind of felt like I could birdie every hole out there. “It’s a tough day though because, at this golf course, if you miss it in the wrong spot you’re going to get hurt. I thought there were some good pins out there, especially on the back nine. Ones where if you’re on the wrong side of the holes, you had no chance. So, I kind of managed my game well. Hit it to 20 feet where I could and see if I could make a putt. “I enjoy being up there. Its good. I have a pretty good attitude in terms of holding leads. I kind of like the guys coming at me rather than having to chase. I sometimes get in my own way when I’m chasing. So, I’m looking forward to it. It’s nice, I’m quite happy. It’s a job well done.” Kurt Kitayama: “Today played a little tougher. Being in the last group added a little more pressure. I made two birdies in the first four holes and I grinded it out, made a bogey on the back followed it up with another birdie. “It was windy in the first two rounds and it was tricky in that way. I was trying to adjust to that. I just didn’t hit as well as I did on the first two days. “There are still guys who are just a few shots back. With things playing out the way it did today, there will be plenty of scoring opportunities and it will be a shootout. “I’m not sure if being in the lead will affect me. Let’s see how I’m feeling in the morning, how the wind is and see if I can hit as many drivers as I did the first two days. Then, I will make adjustments along the way.” Chikkarangappa S: “Over the front nine, I felt like I was playing football on the golf course.  I have only hit two greens in regulation and somehow managed to make the turn at even par. I managed to pull back in the end. The birdies on 17th and 18th were very important for me to get back in the hunt. “After shooting eight-under par on Thursday, I have always thought about finishing at the top. I dreamed of winning an Asian Tour event and a European Tour event. Fortunately, I’m in a good position to do that as I’m just three shots behind. I just need to go out there and play like how I did during the first round and that should do the work for me.” Matthieu Pavon: “I played well, hit some really solid putts but didn't hole a few. The game since the start of the week has been pretty solid, the driving is decent and the iron shots are really good. The only thing I was looking for was to drop more putts and I did not so I will try tomorrow. “The tactic will be the same as the first three days. I have played well, I just need to get a bit closer to the flags and hole more putts but I like where I am and I will try to fight to win the title this week. “Of course I think about it, I've never won before. It's going to be a new day, restart everything and try to do my best. If everything goes the right way I will have a chance to take the title.” Round three scores par 216 (3x72) 200 K Kitayama (USA) 65 65 70, J Harding  (RSA) 67 69 64,203 M Pavon (Fra) 67 66 70, M Kawamura (Jpn) 65 71 67, C S (Ind) 64 68 71,204 V Perez (Fra) 64 69 71,205 G Moynihan (Irl) 69 65 71,206 G Forrest  (Sco) 70 71 65, M Schmitt  (Ger) 71 66 69, O Bekker (RSA) 67 69 70, C Sordet  (Fra) 71 67 68,207 L Slattery (Eng) 67 69 71, R Langasque  (Fra) 70 72 65, A Sandhu (Ind) 69 70 68, D Frittelli (RSA) 69 70 68,208 A Rozner  (Fra) 70 68 70, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 69 66 73, A Da Silva (Bra) 73 67 68, R Jacquelin (Fra) 70 67 71, J Kruger (RSA) 70 67 71,209 T Aiken (RSA) 70 71 68, Y Chang (Kor) 71 68 70, Y Liu  (Chn) 71 67 71, A Haindl (RSA) 67 72 70, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 70 68 71, J Harrison (Eng) 71 70 68,210 J Hugo  (RSA) 71 67 72, B Henson (USA) 69 71 70, K Horne (RSA) 68 71 71, E Els (RSA) 69 70 71, M Schwab  (Aut) 67 71 72,211 J Wang (Kor) 76 65 70, C Blomstrand (Swe) 70 68 73, R Van Der Spuy (RSA) 68 72 71, J Smith (Eng) 68 72 71, G Fdez-Castaño  (Esp) 72 69 70,212 J Hansen  (Den) 71 70 71, G Coetzee (RSA) 69 72 71, T Ryan (RSA) 69 72 71, F Zanotti (Par) 71 68 73, J Ahlers (RSA) 70 70 72, K Koivu (Fin) 70 71 71, L Weber (Fra) 69 69 74, P Figueiredo  (Por) 71 68 73, M Kokocinski (Swe) 67 71 74,213 N Colsaerts  (Bel) 72 69 72, G Havret  (Fra) 72 68 73, A Arnaus (Esp) 72 66 75, S Rahman (Ban) 70 70 73,214 P Eriksson (Swe) 68 72 74, J Van Zyl (RSA) 65 75 74, H Porteous (RSA) 76 66 72, J Girrbach (Sui) 70 72 72,215 P Peterson (USA) 68 72 75, D Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 69 74, S Manley (Wal) 71 70 74, H Park (Kor) 68 73 74, U Mane (Ind) 70 72 73, E Conradie (RSA) 70 70 75,217 H Otto (RSA) 74 68 75, B Xiao (Chn) 73 67 77, V Madappa (Ind) 68 74 75,218 J Brun  (Fra) 70 72 76, M Bremner (RSA) 68 68 82, D Drysdale (Sco) 69 70 79,                                                                                          Ends

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