ROUND THREE WRAP: Relentless Simon in pole position at Vusi Ngubeni

Soweto Country Club’s Thabang Simon said on Tuesday his goal was to win or place within the top 12 finishers in this week’s Altron Vusi Ngubeni Tournament at Huddle Park Golf and Recreation, and now, he has a shot at both.

Simon – who has been at the summit of the leaderboard since the beginning of this 72-hole event – brought a slim one-stroke lead in the third round on Thursday. He was 10-under and one clear of Richard Kruger and Adriel Poonan of Pretoria Golf Club.

Now, and after another solid showing, the veteran campaigner will take a two-shot lead into the final round thanks to a brilliant four-under-par 68 on day three. Now totalling 14-under for the week and two clear of Vulintaba Country Estate’s Slenda Sithebe, Simon is within reach of his targets.

“Today was also a good day,” he said. “I had a brilliant front nine; I was four-under at the turn. I hit the ball well and I putted well too. Even on the back nine where I made the two bogeys, I think I did well. I three-putted on both times. I missed a short birdie-putt on number 12 and I think that’s where the problem started.

“Then on 13, I hit it left of the flag and I just hit my first putt short and the second and then I made bogey. On 15, I hit it left and three-putted again. But at the end of the day, I played well again.”

“I have been in the professional game for a long time, so I knew what I needed to do,” said Simon, alluding to how he kept his cool in the face of the mounting pressure. “Experience helps in these tournaments. I just tried to hit as many fairways as I could and avoid any trouble. I didn’t miss many greens because I was hitting it as well as I was yesterday.

“There is a feeling that I might have left a few out there but I can’t complain because I am still in contention. There is tough competition here but, as I said, I have played professional golf for a while and I know what to do and things not to do. Today, I tried to minimize on the mistakes and I am happy that I managed a bogey-free round. It was a good day of golf.”

The four birdies he made on the front were accompanied by another two on the homeward nine and those, as he said, were cancelled out by the drops he made on that stretch.

“Putting has been giving me a little problem because I have missed many short putts,” added Simon. “Now, I bring two putters to the golf course –a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 and a King Cobra. I use one on the practice green to try and remember my most comfortable grip and I use the other to play. It helps me.”

He knows what’s at stake this week and that the chasing players are very capable of overturning a two-shot lead. After firing in a third successive 68 this week for a total of 12-under, Sithebe is one such player. He reeled in three birdies and a pair of eagles but made three bogeys in what could have been a truly magnificent outing for him. He was pleased, however, with how he played and his position going into the final round.

“Everything is still going according to plan,” said Sithebe. “I want to give credit to my caddie; he was exceptional. I didn’t play the wind well yesterday but today, my caddie was on the spot with everything. We just trusted each other so much and even though I know I played well, I think most credit goes to him.

“He gave me the perfect numbers for the eagle on 16 and then the one on 18; my playing partner and I were on the same spot and I saw him roll his in. I saw the line and I didn’t waste any time and I just went for it too. But I know tomorrow will be a different day and I need to forget about the last three days and start afresh.

“It’s going to be tough but like I said, everything has been going well so far and I want to continue like this. There are top players coming for the top spot and all of us are hungry. So, it will be fun but it’s going to be tough too.”

The top 12 finishers at the end of this qualifying school will earn Sunshine Tour cards for next season while the top 30 will get Altron Big Easy Tour cards.

Scores:

202 - Thabang Simon 67 67 68

204 - Slenda Sithebe 68 68 68

205 - Thanda Mavundla 70 67 68

206 - Thabiso Ngcobo 71 69 66

207 - Richard Kruger 67 68 72

208 - Teboho Sefatsa 74 68 66, Jastice Mashego 73 65 70, Jabulane Mabilane 67 71 70

209 - Trevor Mahoney 69 73 67, Tristin Galant 68 73 68

210 - Sipho Bujela 71 71 68, Lwazi Gqira 71 70 69, Adriel Poonan 68 67 75

211 - Lyle Pedro 71 74 66

212 - Aneurin Gounden 70 73 69, Lincon Denzy Cele 75 67 70, Kayle Wykes 73 67 72, Mike Maile 71 69 72, Irvin Mazibuko 70 70 72

213 - Khanya Mkhize 73 70 70, Jonathan Williams 71 71 71, James Kamte 71 72 70, Siyanda Mwandla 73 68 72, Sentanio Minnie 72 73 68, Jacquin Hess 71 68 74, Tumelo Molloyi 74 72 67

214 - Wade Jacobs 73 70 71, Letsoso Letsai 71 72 71, Shaydon Johnson 72 71 71, Dwayne Basson 73 69 72

215 - Ace Andile Adam 75 70 70, Keelan Africa 73 72 70, Hayden Garcia 68 69 78, John Bele 75 71 69

216 - Sabelo Xolani Majola 70 75 71, Brandon Moodley 73 73 70, Steven Le Roux 73 73 70

217 - Sibusiso Magagula 69 74 74, Mark Maart 70 73 74, Terence Mogapi 72 69 76, Siphiwe Siphayi 76 69 72, Lindani Ndwandwe 74 71 72, Karabo Mokoena 75 70 72, Alee Solomon 76 69 72

218 - Llewellyn Leibrandt 78 65 75, Umar Davids 72 72 74

219 - Carlos Losper 72 73 74

220 - Kael Strydom 73 71 76, Shalan Govender 74 71 75

222 - Ricco Motsa 72 74 76

223 - Boeta Nasie 71 73 79, Jarryd Govender 72 73 78

Missed the cut:-

147 - TJ Sandys 74 73

148 - Austin Mashego 76 72, Thabo Moraba 77 71, Gerrit Foster 72 76, Alphius Kelapile 74 74

149 - Vickesh Singh 78 71, Muhammad Dadoo 74 75, Warrick Greentree 75 74

150 - John Palm 78 72, Bulelani Nyembezi 73 77, Londa Mngadi 76 74

151 - Masibulele Vamsinya 75 76, Darren Slingers 77 74

152 - Leshen Naidoo 79 73, Reggie Mkhonto 73 79, SP Mthethwa 79 73, Shaheed Patel 75 77