Adrian Meronk gets over poor start to keep lead in South Africa

Poland's Adrian Meronk will go into the final round of the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship with a slender one-shot lead at Leopard Creek Country Club after overcoming a difficult start to card a 71 on Saturday.

Meronk, whose only win on tour came at the Open de Portugal last year, bogeyed the third and fourth holes, but three birdies on the back nine took him to 14 under par and the outright lead heading into Sunday.

The 27-year-old is one shot ahead of South African teenager Jayden Schaper, who carded an eagle and two birdies in his final four holes to shoot into contention with a 67 as he seeks his maiden tour success in his first year as a professional.

A further two shots back on his own in third is home player Christiaan Bezuidenhout (68).

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Dane Joachim Hansen (73), who won his first tour title last weekend at the Joburg Open, briefly led again in the third round before an eight on the par-four 11th saw him finish his round on nine-under par.

Ardglass golfer Cormac Sharvin made a stunning start to his third round, making four birdies in his first five holes, but three bogeys in four holes on the back nine reined him in somewhat, a four-under 68 getting him to four under and a share of 21st position going into the final round.

Third round leaderboard

British and Irish unless stated, par 72, (a) denotes amateur

202 Adrian Meronk (Pol) 65 66 71

203 Jayden Trey Schaper (Rsa) 69 67 67

205 Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa) 69 68 68

206 Adri Arnaus (Esp) 70 67 69, Sean Crocker (USA) 70 68 68

207 Joachim B. Hansen (Den) 70 64 73, Calum Hill 71 69 67

208 Richard Bland 67 67 74, Julian Suri (USA) 71 69 68

209 Robin Roussel (Fra) 65 71 73, Marcus Armitage 71 71 67, Daniel Van Tonder (Rsa) 69 70 70, Pedro Figueiredo (Por) 72 68 69, Scott Jamieson 66 71 72, Matthias Schwab (Aut) 70 71 68

210 Fabrizio Zanotti (Pry) 71 71 68, Alexander Levy (Fra) 70 72 68

211 Wil Besseling (Ned) 73 70 68, Wilco Nienaber (Rsa) 71 68 72, Oliver Farr 70 68 73

212 Cormac Sharvin 72 72 68, Christiaan Basson (Rsa) 69 69 74, Oliver Wilson 69 69 74, Richard McEvoy 71 70 71, Robert Macintyre 72 70 70, Brandon Stone (Rsa) 71 72 69, Johannes Veerman (USA) 71 71 70

213 James Kingston (Rsa) 71 68 74, Anthony Michael (Rsa) 76 68 69, Oliver Bekker (Rsa) 73 69 71, Dale Whitnell 70 72 71, Jbe Kruger (Rsa) 69 72 72, Adrian Otaegui (Esp) 75 68 70, Masahiro Kawamura (Jpn) 69 73 71, Scott Vincent (Zim) 72 70 71

214 Chris Wood 69 73 72, Hennie Du Plessis (Rsa) 72 71 71, Dylan Naidoo (Rsa) 74 69 71, Matthew Jordan 69 73 72, Joost Luiten (Ned) 69 72 73, David Horsey 69 73 72, Steve Surry 72 70 72

215 Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 68 75 72, Gavin Green (Mal) 68 74 73

216 Ockie Strydom (Rsa) 68 70 78, MJ Viljoen (Rsa) 73 69 74, James Du Preez (Rsa) 69 74 73, Justin Walters (Rsa) 72 72 72, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 71 73 72

217 Darius Van Driel (Ned) 73 71 73, Philip Eriksson (Swe) 74 67 76, Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 73 70 74, Pablo Larrazabal (Esp) 74 69 74

218 Steven Brown 69 74 75, Marcel Siem (Ger) 69 72 77, Eddie Pepperell 71 71 76, Ruan Conradie (Rsa) 70 73 75

219 Martin Rohwer (Rsa) 74 70 75, Benjamin Follet-Smith (Zim) 69 69 81, Jaco Van Zyl (Rsa) 70 72 77, Trevor Fisher Jnr (Rsa) 73 71 75

220 Garrick Porteous 71 72 77, Jean-Paul Strydom (Rsa) 73 71 76

221 Matthieu Pavon (Fra) 73 69 79

222 Rourke Van Der Spuy (Rsa) 74 69 79