Kim edges clear at Kyalami

Dongkwan Kim fired four birdies on the bounce over the last four holes at Kyalami Country Club to pull clear of the chasing pack in the second round of the IGT Challenge Tour #3 on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old South Korean golfer had a birdie-laden day with seven gains – three on the front nine and the string of four down the back – but he dropped two shots at the fifth right after he eagled the par five fourth and bogeyed 11 for a six-under 66.

Kim honed his craft on the IGT Challenge Tour since 2012 and won the Race to Asia Match Play at Kempton Park Golf Club in 2013 before he earned his Sunshine Tour card in 2015.

“I’m very happy with my golf today,” said Kim. “I hit the ball well and I putted nicely. But it’s only a one shot lead, so I need to keep the putter warm in the final round.”

Kim leads the field on seven-under 137 and will head into the final round one shot clear of a resurgent Michiel Bothma.

The three-time Sunshine Tour winner began the journey back to the main circuit on the country’s premier golf development tour after a long injury lay-off. Boosted by a tie for seventh in the first event of the new Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour at Silver Lakes last week, the former PGA Championship winner filed a 67 that featured only one bogey at the 10th.

Hot on their heels, rookie Cameron Moralee will be chasing hard in the final round.

The former Freddie Tait Trophy winner celebrated his maiden IGT Challenge Tour victory with a wire-to-wire performance in the third Race to Q-School at Ruimsig in just his fourth start last year. With rounds of 69 and 70, Moralee sits just two off the pace and will be looking to convert a runner-up finish in his rookie start last week to more silverware on Wednesday.

The final round promises to be an exciting affair, as only four shots separate the top eight players.

Making some positive moves was Sunshine Ladies Tour campaigner Ivanna Samu, who carded a 69 to climb to joint fourth.

The former Sanlam SA Amateur champion was flawless with four birdies until she dropped a shot at the par four 16th that earned her a seat on the bus at four-under with Ruhan van Dijk (69), Albert Venter (74), Ruan Korb (71) and first round pacesetter Tristen Strydom, who stumbled with a trio of bogeys from 15 and signed for a 75.

“I’m excited for the final round,” said Samu. “I was a little disappoint with the bogey late in the round, but it’s great to be inside the top five. My form is good at the moment, so I’m looking for some consistency and hopefully a top five finish on Wednesday.”