Johannessen and Baldwin share lead at SDC Championship as McKibbin challenge fades

Norway's Kristian Krogh Johannessen and England’s Matthew Baldwin share the lead after Saturday’s play at the SDC Championship in South Africa as Tom McKibbin saw his challenge fall away.

Play was suspended due to darkness before the third round could be completed with Johannessen and Baldwin on 11-under having both completed 13 holes.

After brilliant opening rounds of 66 and 67, those 13 holes were much trickier for halfway leader Johannessen with his card showing two bogeys to go with two birdies.

Baldwin, meanwhile, would have been disappointed to see play called in as he was four-under through those 13 holes.

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The pair hold a two-shot lead over the trio of Jens Dantorp of Sweden, who has four holes to complete early on Sunday, England’s Daniel Brown and Joost Luiten of the Netherlands.

County Down man McKibbin had thrown himself back into the mix with a sizzling 65 on Friday, but the 20-year-old was unable to build on it as he carded a level-par 72 to sit back on three-under.

McKibbin started with a bogey but a run of three successive birdies between the third and fifth holes pointed to another impressive day.

However, two bogeys just before the turn halted his momentum with his back nine containing a birdie on the 13th and a bogey on 18th to leave him in a tie for 34th.