Robin Dawson in action at Kingswood Golf Estate in George
Faithlegg's Robin Dawson shot a second successive 65 to take a one-stroke lead in the final round of the South African Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship at Kingswood Golf Estate.
The flame-haired Maynooth University star birdied three of his last five holes in a six-birdie round to edge clear of Edgar Catherine of France on 12 under par and set up the possibility of a second successive Irish win in the event following Jack Hume's victory last year.
Whitehead's John Ross Galbraith shot a level par 70 to lurk just five shots off the pace in a four-way tie for third on seven under with Alex Gleeson also shooting 70 to share 12th on two under.
"I am happy enough the way the first three days have gone," Dawson said when asked about the possibility of another Irish win. "We will see what happens, go with the flow and see how we get on,"
"It is great to get the year kick-started in really good weather and playing a really good golf course.
"The courses down here give you a chance to shoot good scores. It is a good start to the year we are just practising, and it is cold. It is a great opportunity we have been given so we are all very fortunate for that.
"There are some great players here, and it's good to see the best South African players here and to compete against them."
Dawson and Galbraith started the day just one stroke behind leader Oliver Gillberg of Sweden, who shot a one over 71 to slip back to third.
Galbraith opened with two bogeys, then eagled the par-five third and birdied the fourth before following 13 straight pars with a bogey four at the last for his 70.
Dawson started well and birdied the third, fourth and eighth to move into a share of the lead before following his only bogey of the day at the 13th with three birdies in a row.
"I made an aggressive play off eight," he said. "It was downwind, and I decided to hit driver there to the front of the green and hit a lovely chip to about a foot. That was given birdie there.
"I lost concentration on my second shot to the 13th and came up short, chipped to 10 feet and missed. But after that, I recovered well with three birdies on the trot after that."
After firing wedge to four feet at the 14th, he birdied the 15th and then got up and down from just short of the reachable, par-five 16th before closing with two pars.
"It was nice steady birdies and nice steady play today," Dawson added. "It was a little bit windy, but I am well used to that coming from Ireland.
"It was a little bit hot today for me but yesterday was nice, even though it was raining. I have never played in shorts in the rain before."
Gleeson made three bogeys in his first ten holes but birdied the 12th, 13th and 16th for his 70.
Knock's Colin Fairweather is joint 28th on one-over after a fine 68 with Stuart Grehan a shot further back after he bogeyed his last two holes for
a 71.
Kevin LeBlanc (74) and Colm Campbell (71) share 43rd on four over par.
from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2kqr8Y6
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