Home favourite Thriston Lawrence in control at Joburg Open

Home favourite Thriston Lawrence will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Joburg Open after firing a workmanlike 67 on day three at Houghton Golf Club.

The 26-year-old started the week with a brilliant 62 and while he did not match that quality in round three, he carded the lowest score of anyone in an all-South African top six to lead the way from Dean Burmester.

Lawrence won this event two years ago and has since added three more DP World Tour titles, one of which he will be defending at next week's South African Open.

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He missed out on a PGA Tour card by one shot after finishing fifth in last week's season finale in Dubai but has insisted this week that has only inspired him to have a successful 2024 campaign on the European-based circuit.

"I had a game-plan and it was to try and play the exact same golf as I did the first two rounds and I executed it," he said. "I stayed nice and patient.

"I could have gone lower, not a lot of made putts, there was a couple at the end that I could have made but it's job done and I'm happy with it.

"The game-plan is exactly the same tomorrow, I'll try and make a few more putts than today but I'm very happy with the game, I'm playing really well so same game-plan."

Lawrence carded four birdies and a bogey to get to 15 under, with LIV player Burmester his nearest challenger after a 68.

World Number 1,214 Nikhil Rama's dream week continued with a 72 that left him four shots off the lead, three ahead of England's Daniel Brown who matched the lowest round of the day with a 65.