Sunday 30 June 2019 14:39, UK
Christiaan Bezuidenhout bolstered his hopes of registering a maiden European Tour title by extending his lead to five shots at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters.
The South African went into the weekend with a four-stroke advantage and increased his cushion by following rounds of 66 and 68 with a two-under 69 at Real Club Valderrama, lifting him to 10 under.
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Jon Rahm - the highest-ranked player in the field - posted a joint-low round-of-the-day 67 to join Japan's Hideto Tanihara in a share of second, as tournament host Sergio Garcia slipped eight off the pace after a two-over 73.
"It definitely wasn't my ball-striking day," Bezuidenhout said. "I made some great saves before the turn which kept the momentum going."
Bezuidenhout recovered from a poor tee shot to save par at the first and rolled in a close-range birdie at the second, before scrambling to save par at the seventh and eighth on his way to reaching the turn in 34.
The world No 273 holed a five-foot birdie at the 10th, but bogeyed the 14th after finding thick rough off the tee, only to restore his five-shot cushion by converting a 10-footer at the 16th.
Rahm started the day eight shots back - but surged up the leaderboard by following birdies at the fourth and sixth with another at the par-four eighth after getting up and down from the sand.
The Spaniard dropped a shot at the par-three 15th after missing the green off the tee and then hitting a poor chip, but responded by making a two-putt birdie at the 17th and rolling in a 15-foot birdie at the last.
Tanihara held outright second until finishing his three-under 68 with a final-hole bogey, while Belgian pair Thomas Detry and Nicolas Colsaerts sit a further two strokes back in tied-fourth.
Garcia dropped into the group on two under that includes former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn, who moved into the top-10 by matching Rahm's 67.
Watch the final round of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters live on Sunday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf.
