Australia’s Austin Bautista made a strong push for his second Sunshine Tour title this season as he opened up a two-shot lead in the Fortress Invitational at Houghton Golf Club on Saturday.
Bautista signed for a bogey-free 64 to head the field on 12 under par, two shots clear of Germany’s Morris Schiefner following his 66.
The Australian is looking for his second victory this season after winning the FNB Eswatini Challenge.
“There weren’t necessarily moments that were crucial for me. Come the final round, usually there are moments where you really want to lock in and you feel like there’s heavy pressure. But today I just went about my business, playing the tough holes smart and playing the easier holes a bit more aggressive, and knowing what my strengths are which are wedges and putting, and putting myself in position to make putts. I did that well today,” said Bautista.
🎙️⛳️ Hear from our leader, Austin Bautista, as he reflects on his third round at The Fortress Invitational. 🔥🏌️♂️ #TheFortressInvitational #GreatnessBeginsHere #SunshineTour https://t.co/1ZBWqP2wfZ
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) October 10, 2026
Defending champion Warwick Purchase will start the final round four shots off the lead alongside Jonathan Broomhead, Tyran Snyders and Altin van der Merwe.
But the rookie challenge has been equally strong this season, and Germany’s Schiefner – currently 20th on the Fortress Rookie of the Year standings – could’ve shared the lead were it not for a double-bogey on the 12th.
“The eagle on the 10th hole was good. I saw the cameras coming up and I knew I had to show off a little bit. Sadly, the back nine was not as good as I wanted it to be, but I kept it together,” Schiefner said after a round which took its toll on him physically.
“I will definitely be resting tonight. My back hurts a bit, and I’ll be putting on enough sunscreen tomorrow. I am very tired.”
The third round was also particularly rewarding for Jacques van der Merwe, who scored a hole-in-one on the par-three 14th to win R100 000 courtesy of CIB as well as 100 000 Skybucks courtesy of Fly Airlink and joins the Airlink Aces Shoot-Out at the end of the season.
Jacques van der Merwe won R100 000 for a hole-in-one during the third round.
SCORES
201 - Austin Bautista 70 67 64
203 - Morris Schiefner 71 66 66
205 - Warwick Purchase 69 71 65
205 - Jonathan Broomhead 66 72 67, Tyran Snyders 69 68 68, Altin van der Merwe 69 67 69
206 - Ricky Hendler 69 70 67
207 - Zander Lombard 73 69 65
208 - Kyle Barker 71 72 65
208 - Jaco Van Zyl 68 74 66, Pierre Viallaneix 71 69 68, Hennie O'Kennedy 72 67 69, Luke Brown 67 70 71
209 - George Coetzee 69 73 67
209 - Simon du Plooy 70 71 68, Jordan Burnand 73 68 68, Keagan Thomas 70 71 68, Jaco Prinsloo 70 70 69, Robson Chinhoi 68 70 71, Stals Swart 66 72 71, Lyle Rowe 67 71 71, Haydn Porteous 67 69 73
210 - Rhys Enoch 71 72 67
210 - Samuel Simpson 74 69 67, Jaco Ahlers 75 67 68, Luis Carrera 71 67 72, Graham van der Merwe 68 68 74
211 - Christiaan Burke 71 73 67
211 - Estiaan Conradie 69 71 71, Nikhil Rama 71 69 71
212 - Jason Roets 70 74 68
212 - Rowan Lester 71 73 68, Stuart Krog 73 71 68, Gabriel Morgan 72 71 69, Ethan Smith 73 70 69, Jacques Van der Merwe 75 68 69, Martin Rohwer 71 71 70, Adam Breen 69 71 72, JJ Senekal 72 66 74
213 - Charl Barnard 72 72 69
213 - Rupert Kaminski 74 70 69, Malcolm Mitchell 71 73 69, Sentanio Minnie 72 70 71, Daniel van Tonder 66 73 74
214 - Rigardt Albertse 70 74 70
214 - James Mack 69 75 70, Keelan Africa 73 71 70, Tristan Leonard 74 69 71, Jacques P de Villiers 71 72 71, Joe Sullivan 73 67 74
215 - Stephen Ferreira 73 71 71
215 - Ulrich van den Berg 72 71 72, Eric Wowor 71 69 75
216 - Musiwalo Nethunzwi 71 73 72
216 - Benjamin Kedochim 70 74 72, Ryan van der Klis 69 72 75, Benjamin Follett-Smith 63 72 81
217 - Matt Millar 69 75 73
217 - Daniel Cronje 72 70 75, Trevor Fisher Jnr 70 72 75, Jbe' Kruger 71 69 77
218 - Cole Stevens 71 73 74
218 - Allister de Kock 74 69 75
219 - Tristin Galant 73 70 76
222 - Tristen Strydom 72 72 78