Shubhankar Sharma leads by five-strokes

Shubhankar Sharma is aiming for his first title win on the Asian Tour at Joburg Open played at Randpark Golf Club-Firethorn Course. Sharma now leads by five-strokes at 20-under 195 with the finish of 72 holes.

Sharma entered the field one-shot back from Friday’s leader Tapio Pulkkanen, after scoring his best of bogey-free 61 consisting nine-birdies, he remained bogey-free in his third round too with seven-under 65 today.

Finishing off a fine round with a fine sand save…

Impressive stuff @shubhankargolf ? pic.twitter.com/sRKbS4d7qd

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 9, 2017

Sharma posted his career’s best 61 yesterday and is the best score after 36 holes at Joburg Open. Sharma is currently ranked 22nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and his best finishes include four top-10s, and one tied fourth finish at Bashundhara Bangladesh Open.

Related: Wade Ormsby wins his first European Tour Title

Pulkkanen playing his second European Tour event on the 2018 season missed cut at UBS Hong Kong Open, later won by Wade Ormsby. Pulkkanen dropped four spots from yesterday with his one-over 73 round today consisting 3 birdies, 2 bogeys, and an unfortunate double-bogey on the par-4 16, taking his total to 13-under 202, 7-shots short of the leader Sharma and shared with English Marcus Armitage.

The Followers

Following the leader, at 15-under 200 is Christopher Blomstrand climbing 34 places up today with a stunning 8-under 62 consisting 2 eagles, 7 birdies, and 2 bogeys.

Sharing the third place on the board are James Morrison and local hero Erik Van Rooyen at 14-under 201, where Morrison climbed five spots with his 5-under 67 today, and Erik remained at third with 2-under 70.

Ross McGowan, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Oliver Bekker, Steven Brown, and Joachim B. Hansen shared the 7th spot on the board at 11-under 204, where McGowan and Christiaan posted 66, Oliver Bekker 68, Brown, and Joachim posted matching 71 today.

Related: Dylan Frittelli beats Atwal in a playoff to win Mauritius Open

Dylan Frittelli is the only player in the field who has earned an exemption for 2018 The Open and recently toppled Arjun Atwal, Asian Team Captain at EurAsia Cup in a playoff to win at AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, currently shares 50th position on the board with Carlos Pigem, Jaco Prinsloo, Lionel Weber, Andrea Pavan, Robert Macintyre, Jens Fahrbring, and Daniel Brooks at 5-under 210.