Charl Schwartzel: “We’ve been friends for a long time and we’ve played this game for a long time. I don’t think we’ll treat it any other way than just trying our best and let the outcome be what it will.”; Louis Oosthuizen: “It’s the one event that I’ve really wanted on my CV.”
Last Updated: 09/12/23 4:56pm
South African duo Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen both sit on 15-under ahead of the final round at the Alfred Dunhill Championship
Major-winning duo Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel will go head to head in the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship after opening up a commanding five-shot lead in South Africa.
The home duo dominated the rest of the field on day three at Leopard Creek Country Club, with 2010 Open champion Oosthuizen matching the course record with a 63 only to see 2011 Masters winner Schwartzel join him at 15 under after a 65.
Englishman Andy Sullivan and another home favourite in Christiaan Bezuidenhout were the nearest challengers but they will have to be at their very best to prevent a two-horse race between the two LIV Golf team-mates.
A victory for either Oosthuizen or Schwartzel would make it four LIV victories in the first five events of the DP World Tour season in the same week that world No 3 Jon Rahm joined the Saudi-backed circuit.
But that will be no more than a sub-plot on Sunday as Schwartzel seeks a fifth win in an event where he has also finished second four times, against two-time runner-up Oosthuizen.
“We’ve been friends for a long time and we’ve played this game for a long time,” said Schwartzel. “I don’t think we’ll treat it any other way than just trying our best and let the outcome be what it will.
“We’re both playing well so it probably comes down to the guy who makes the least mistakes tomorrow.”
Oosthuizen added: “It’s the one event that I’ve really wanted on my CV. I’ve come close a few times and I’ve messed it up a lot of times so tomorrow if I can stay calm like I did today and do the same things and give myself opportunities on the greens I think I’ve got a good shot.”
Oosthuizen made seven birdies and an eagle after driving the par-four sixth, while Schwartzel eagled the par-five 15th and added six birdies and a bogey.
Sullivan eagled the last in a 69 to sit at 10 under, a shot ahead of countryman Marco Penge who held a two-shot lead after six holes but bogeyed three of his last five in a 72.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland