DP World Tour: Matthew Baldwin Shares SDC Championship Lead as Play Suspended Due to Darkness
Britishman Matthew Baldwin was four shots off the pace in the middle stage, but then he made back-to-back birdies on the 5th and 6th holes, and more shots on the 10th and 13th holes before Christian Won a share of Krog Johannesen and Reed. 11 under par
Last updated: 18/03/23 7:53pm
Englishman Matthew Baldwin takes top share of SDC Championship midway through round three
Englishman Matthew Baldwin scored four birdies on the first 13 holes of the third round to keep Christian at the top of the SDC Championship leaderboard before play was suspended for darkness on Saturday night. I joined Krog Johannessen.
Baldwin was on four-shot pace in midfield, but made back-to-back birdies in the fifth and sixth, and more shots in the 10th and 13th to take the lead at 11-under-par.
Seeking his first DP World Tour title in South Africa this week, the 37-year-old narrowly missed a birdie try on the 14th before his progress was halted in dim light.
He will be back on track to complete the back nine at 8am on Sunday before starting the fourth round.
Johannesen of Norway maintained a three-stroke lead at the halfway point of the tournament after finishing the second round with an eagle, five birdies and a bogey on Saturday morning. .
After making a birdie in the second round and marking 12 under par, he extended his advantage to five strokes early in the third round.
But the 28-year-old returned a shot on the 4th and birdied on the par-3 7th, but bogeyed on the 11th and cut his lead to just one as the sun started to set. .
Johannesen made allies at the top when playing partner Baldwin sent an approach shot into tap-in range on the 13th and made a birdie there.
Johannessen is waiting for a par putt when the third round resumes.
England’s Daniel Brown and Holland’s Joest Ruyten set their clubhouse target at 9-under to tie for third with Sweden’s Jens Duntorp.
The second round saw two hole-ins of 1 on the 17th, with aces from England’s Dan Bradbury and South Africa’s Wynand Dingle.
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