Scotland’s Scott Jamieson held off the expected challenge of crowd favourite Louis Oosthuizen to storm to a five shot lead on day three of the Volvo Champions in Durban.
Jamieson began the round a stroke behind the former British Open champion but ended the round with a 68 to move five shots clear of the World No. 6 ranked Oothuizen at 15-under par on a rain-softened Durban Country Club course.
The 29-year old Glasgow golfer broke through a month ago in South Africa’s third largest city and now Jamieson is one round away from winning the ‘Durban double.”
Scott Jamieson storms five shots clear as he seeks Durban victory double. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)
“It’s been another great day and while I didn’t play as well as I did the first two days, especially yesterday from tee‑to‑green I managed to score well, which is the main thing,” said Jamieson.
“So I’m delighted to be in the position I’m in.
“Also the experience of winning the Nelson Mandela in a play-off under the extreme pressure with a first European Tour title on the line gave me a lot of confidence that I’ve taken into this week.”
The Florida-based Jamieson capped his round with an eagle three at the par five eighth hole when he landed a 198-yard 5-iron to five feet and then holed the putt.
Jamieson then birdied three holes in succession from the 11th.
Victory would see the current World No. 100th ranked Jamieson move inside the top-64 in the world and qualify for next month’s $US 8.75m WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship in Arizona.
As well, he will earn a start in August’s similar cash prize event, the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.
For three days Jamieson has seen off three of the bigger names in golf.
Jamieson played the first round in the company of double Open Champion Padraig Harrington and finished a shot ahead of the Irishman.
On day two he was six shots lower than Dane Thomas Bjorn and on day three he pulled the rug out from under crowd favourite Oosthuizen and with the Open champion signing for a 74 to drop back to a share of second.
“Yeah, it’s been three good days but golf is such a funny sport, you ond can play great or you can have a terrible day,” Jamieson said.
“Most of the guys played well today, but Thomas and Pádraig, I think they played fairly well when I played with them.
“So if you had asked me that early in the week, you always have your eye out, comparing yourself to them, but yeah, I managed to beat them both through the week, so that was nice.”
