MOOKGOPHONG, Limpopo – Jacques Blaauw decided to take a more aggressive approach to his putting and the result is a chance to claim his first Sunshine Tour title since 2016 when the final round of the Limpopo Championship tees off at the Euphoria Golf and Lifestyle Estate on Sunday.
Blaauw produced a composed third round of 67 underpinned by some impressive putting to lead the field on 17 under par. He is one stroke clear of Deon Germishuys, who signed for a third round of 68.
Dylan Naidoo produced the low round of the day – a 64 that carried him into third place on 14 under par.
Blaauw’s round was highlighted by a string of good putts from the ninth to the 12th holes where he made three birdies and an eagle.
“I putted unbelievably well,” said Blaauw. “I played with Ulrich van den Berg in the practice round and he said to me, no disrespect but you’re putting too tentatively. All my putts now are going in with speed. So it’s just a bit of speed now, and obviously moving down to the short putter makes it a little bit more free flowing for me.”
It also helped that the greens at Euphoria have rewarded good putting this week. “The greens have been really good. They’ve been very pure,” said Naidoo at just three shots off the lead and who got the most out of them on Saturday with his low round.
Blaauw has won four times on the Sunshine Tour, with his most prolific year coming when he claimed three titles in 2013. His last victory was in the Vodacom Origins of Golf in Sishen in 2016. But he has since finished second numerous times and he came into this week’s tournament having finished sixth in the recent Stella Artois Players Championship.
“It’s just keeping on the constant grind and I know I’ll keep on battling in the final round,” he said.
And he’ll at least be able to keep an eye on the preparations of his final-round playing partner, Germishuys, with the two of them staying together this week.
“Deon and I are staying in the same house. So it will be a relaxed evening around the braai before the final round.” – Michael Vlismas.
