Spingbok golfer Charl Schwartzel looks set to celebrate his first event of a New Year in winning style with a first South African Open  success.

The former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel looks unstoppable after birdied the first four holes on his way to a third round of 66 to finish 13 under par, five strokes ahead of England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Scotland’s David Drysdale.

England’s Lee Slattery is a shot further back after posting the lowest round of the week with a 65, while halfway leader Andy Sullivan was one of eight players on six under after struggling to a 74.

“I don’t think you can ask for a much better start, with a bunched leaderboard it’s one way to get yourself separated from the field,” said Schwartzel, who also led after 54 holes last year but finished fourth after a closing 71 at Glendower Golf Club.

“I hit some really good shots but had quite a mixed bag with some really great shots and great saves, but some bad shots that maybe had some good breaks.”

Schwartzel dropped his first shot of the day on the seventh but bounced back with birdies on the next two holes to be out in 31, while two three-putts on the par fives on the back nine – one for bogey, the other for par – meant he had to settle for an inward half of 35.

Charl Schwartzel on route to enjoying a five shot lead with a round to play in the 2015 South African Open. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)

Asked about the importance of winning his national Open for the first time, Schwartzel added: “In the big world people look at the Majors but coming from South Africa this is pretty much a Major for South Africans. It will be nice to go out and keep swinging the way I am tomorrow.”

Schwartzel began the day one shot behind Sullivan, but the pair experienced an amazing eight shot swing in the first four holes.

World Number 31 Schwartzel holed from 50 feet across the first green for birdie, from six feet on the second and 20 feet on the third before his approach to the fourth almost pitched straight into the hole and finished inches away.

That contrasted starkly with playing partner Sullivan’s opening stretch, with the 27 year old failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker on the first before finding water with his second shot to the next.

Another bogey followed after missing the third green and, even when he found the middle of the fairway on the fourth, Sullivan’s luck was firmly out as his ball finished in an old divot and led to a fourth straight bogey.

The former Walker Cup player stopped the rot with a birdie on the fifth and although a bogey on the ninth took him out in 40, he covered the back nine in 34 to keep his hopes of a first European Tour title alive.

“I’m delighted with the way I played today,” the former US Amateur Champion said.

“I played good for the first six holes and just didn’t make anything, but got it going on the back nine. From being two under at the turn to finish eight under was pretty special.

“Everyone’s first aim is just to keep your card, particularly in my first year, but I am not setting my sights that I just want to make cuts to earn enough money to keep my card. My main goal is to make The Race to Dubai final (for the top 60 players on the money list) and I think that’s fairly achievable.”

Drysdale was also eight under after 11 holes of his second round before dropping four shots in his last six holes, but bounced back from a double bogey on the tenth on Saturday with five birdies in the last seven.