Ryder Cup star Max Homa moved a step closer to securing a maiden DP World Tour title after taking a one-shot lead into the final round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.
The overnight co-leader carded a three-under 69 at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City to move to 13 under and a shot clear of playing partner Matthieu Pavon, with Danish duo Nicolai Hojgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen two off the pace in tied-third.
A final-hole bogey dropped Dan Bradbury three behind into fifth place ahead of Ryo Hisatune, while Tommy Fleetwood heads into the final day six strokes back in a share of eighth as he looks for a third consecutive victory at the event.
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"I wasn't swinging it so well to start, I was a bit scrappy," Homa admitted. "I hit the ball really well coming down the last nine or 10 holes, that was nice. I didn't hole anything putting wise but I made a nice bunker shot for eagle.
"I did a really good job of staying patient on the back nine. I hit it really well and had a lot of looks. It [winning] would be tremendous. Every day we walk up nine and they have the plaques of everyone who's won and the names are stout so it would be amazing to add my name to the tradition here."
How Homa moved ahead
Pavon grabbed the early advantage when he followed a two-putt birdie at the par-five second by holing from six feet to pick up a shot at the fourth, where overnight co-leader Homa carded his first bogey of the week.
The Frenchman extended his lead by rolling from 25 feet at the seventh but then failed to get up and down from the sand to save par at the next, reducing his lead to two at the turn, only for Homa to close the gap with a sensational bunker hole-out for eagle at the par-five 10th.
Pavon birdied the same hole and matched Homa in picking up a shot at the par-five 14th, before falling one behind his playing partner when he bogeyed the 15th and three-putted from long range to drop a shot at the par-four next.
Homa then negotiated his closing holes bogey-free to stay on 13 under and Pavon finished with back-to-back pars to close a two-under 70, as Bradbury fell three behind after he finished a one-under 71 with a bogey.
"We know it's moving day and lots of people move up the leaderboard so it was nice to start well," Pavon said. "Overall it was a hell of a grind out there. It was really hot, pins are tricky, it's all about managing some of the shots you have. All in all I'm pretty happy to score under par."
Hojgaard and Olesen are within two after matching 69s and Justin Thomas' hopes faded with a level-par 72, dropping him into the group tied-10th on six under that contains Adrian Meronk, Scotland's Ewen Ferguson and England's Jordan Smith.
Who will win the Nedbank Golf Challenge? Due to the threat of bad weather, live coverage of the final round will begin earlier than scheduled on Sunday at 7am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and more with NOW.