Golf: Designer Oosthuizen flies on the wings of three eagles to take lead in Mauritius Open 

Bel Ombre, Mauritius, Dec 17 (IANS) Course designer Louis Oosthuizen dropped three bogeys, but also showed how to land a lot of eagles. He had three in the third round of the 2023 Mauritius Open, and it could even have been four, but for a short putt he missed for an eagle on the Par-5 eighth.

Oosthuizen shot 7-under 65 to get to 14-under and held a one-shot lead over the little-known Jacques P De Villiers, who caught the eye with a second round 67. De Villiers, ranked 984th in the world, birdied the 18th to get to 68 in the third round and a total of 13-under. He is one behind Oosthuizen.

Understandably delighted with his round of 65, he said, “I think it was first time I had 3 eagles and I missed a short putt on eighth for another one.”

Oosthuizen, who has designed the La Reserve Links Golf course at the Heritage Golf Club, with Peter Matkovich, had four birdies, three eagles and three bogeys. He went through the front nine in 5-under 31 despite bogeys on the fourth and the ninth. He shot 2-under 34 for the back nine.

Oosthuizen, whose win prior to last week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek, was his first since the South African Open in 2018. Now he is looking at two wins in two weeks.

The 2010 Open winner, who was tied for seventh at the halfway stage made the most significant move of the traditional ‘Moving day’ as he leapfrogged to the top spot.

Oosthuizen admitted it was both nerve-wracking and exciting coming into this week as he was also the co-designer. He gave his co-designer Pete Matkovich a lot of compliments, saying, “As I said, it is both exciting and nerve-wracking to come in here as a co-designer. Pete has done a phenomenal job and I would love to see this golf course in year or two and settle in very nicely and definitely play a little tougher down the line.”

He added, “I was lucky on 12th finding my ball and I putted well for a birdie. All in all, I played well, though I missed a short one for par on 17th. Looks like I am rolling the ball well and giving myself a lot of opportunities.”

Talking of his round, he said, “It was such a boost to hit a good 4-Iron on fifth and getting then chipping it in on the sixth. That sort of momentum gets you going. Then the short putt on eighth missing for another eagle.”

He added, “I think the wind was definitely tough. A lot of pins, some were on right hand side. Most of wind here is on left and you could feed it towards it those pins. I managed my way around well.”

On his plan for the final day, he said, “I am playing well, so it all going to be on how I manage myself. With the wind so strong if you a missed shot can get into trouble. I need to stay calm and manage myself well.”

He ended saying, “The golf course is set up nicely. Maybe, the 18th, if they bring it one tee up, guys can go for an eagle on the closing hole.”

Oosthuizen, who had just one bogey in his first day’s round of 68 added 69 on the second day with two bogeys and five birdies. He was on an overdrive in the third round.

He parred the first and then birdied the next two. A blip followed with a bogey on fourth and then came the blockbuster. An eagle on par-5 fifth was followed by a chip-in eagle from behind the greenside bunker for back-to-back eagles. A birdie on eighth was followed by a dropped shot as he closed the roller-coaster front nine with a 5-under 31.

On the back nine he birdied 12th and added a sensational third eagle for the day on the Par-5 15th. A bogey on 17th was disappointing, but despite three bogeys during the day he was two ahead going into the final round.

Laurie Canter had a bogey free 65 following in on his 66-74 to get to 11-under in sole third place, while two South Africans, Jayden Schaper (67) and Jaco Prinsloo (67) were tied for fourth place at 10-under.

Marcel Siem, the Brand Ambassador of Heritage Resorts, shot 70 and grinded it out for a third straight under par round. Siem, the 2022 Hero Indian Open winner, now has 69-69-70 to be 8-under and tied eighth.

Marcel Schneider who had made a move late in the second round with a round of 68 to get to shared second place, slipped in the third with a 73 and at 8-under he is tied for eighth with four others, including Siem, Paul Waring (63-72-73), Dylan Naidoo (68-69-71) and former champion Darren Fichardt (66-72-70)

Defending champion Antoine Rozner, who had never shot an over par round in Mauritius till the second round of the current edition of AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, followed up his first 62 with 74-73 in next two rounds. He is now 7-under and tied for the 13th place alongside England’s Daniel Brown (68-68-73) and South Africa’s Louis de Jaeger (67-72-70).

Indicating how vital this event is for Sunshine Tour players, was Lyle Rowe (66-71-70) who is lowly ranked at 1144th in the world, but is tied sixth place with Pieter Moolman (67-71-69) at 9-under and five shots behind leader Oosthuizen.

–IANS

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