Moa Folke fired an excellent round of 65 (-8) on the third day of the Joburg Ladies Open to lead by two strokes heading into the final day.
The Swedish player started brightly with a birdie on the first before a dropped shot on the fourth but made three birdies in four holes to make the turn in 34 (-3).
It was on the back nine at Modderfontein Golf Club where Folke turned up the heat dropping only one shot and rolling in four birdies.
But it was on the last hole where the 27-year-old finished in style holing out from the rough for an eagle to jump to the top of the leaderboard on 12-under-par.
“I played really well today, I’m very happy,” said Folke. “The wind is a little bit different today, so I was quite nervous on the tee shot on 18 not knowing the wind and then I got in the rough.
“I got a really good lie; I was in between clubs but then I just picked one and hit it and it looked really good and to see it go in is such a fun feeling. My putter definitely helped, I putted really well but I’ve also given myself a lot of chances today, so overall it was great.”
Folke, who was a rookie on the LET in 2022, won on the Sunshine Ladies Tour a couple of weeks ago at the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am.
And that victory has helped the Swede build confidence over the past few weeks and she feels more prepared heading into the final day in search of a maiden LET win.
She explained: “I have gained so much confidence. Getting to win a few weeks ago on the Sunshine Ladies Tour gave me so much confidence knowing I can play well and to prove that I can play well today was extra special.
“I think I’m going to be nervous tomorrow, but it is so much fun to be in this position. I have been in this position once before and it didn’t go so well. I feel like I’m a better player now so I’m looking forward to tomorrow. After I was in this position last time, I worked really hard on my short game and my long game has gotten better so I feel I’m better prepared this time.”
Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup, who led at the halfway stage, sits in second place on 10-under-par after shooting a round of 71 (-2).
It was a very even day for the Dane who made two birdies and a bogey on her front nine and replicated it on the back nine.
“Obviously, it was a tough day, but it was good fun playing in the final group and I feel like I managed really well,” said the LET winner.
“I’m really happy about my effort out there today and big thanks to Kasper for doing a good job. I feel like two-under today was pretty good, it could have been a little bit lower if I had putted better. I didn’t feel like I putted bad just more that I didn’t roll anything in. If a few more had dropped it would have been a really good day.
“I would really love to come out on top tomorrow. I feel like I’m ready for it. It will be hard and it will be tough, but I’m more ready than I have been and I feel like I’ve learned a lot the past couple of weeks and even today about myself and how to handle myself. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, it will be a good challenge.”
Czechia’s Klara Davidson Spilkova is one shot further back in third place on nine-under-par after carding a round of 70 (-3) on day three.
The two-time LET winner holed out for an eagle on the fifth hole as well as making two bogeys and three birdies.
She explained: “I holed for eagle from like 44m, so that was lovely. It was a pretty bad lie; it was sitting down in this thick grass. I hit it really good and it landed two metres before the hole and then jumped in. It was pretty cool because it doesn’t happen that often.
“I was very solid today and I was just waiting for the putts to go in and fortunately it did on the last hole, but I was just trying to stay patient out there.
“I feel very good about tomorrow, this is what we work for to be in the final groups. I’m excited and maybe a little nervous as always, but that’s good. I’m just going to stay patient, trust myself and trust the process and see what happens.”
South Africa’s Kiera Floyd and Sweden’s Linnea Johansson sit in a tie for fourth place on seven-under-par after 54 holes.
It was a great day for Floyd, who was the leading amateur at last year’s Investec South African Women’s Open, as she fired a 67 (-6) which included an eagle to catapult up the leaderboard.
“Today was really good out there,” said the 18-year-old. “I felt really comfortable off the tee and especially on the putting greens. I think my putter was hot today, but it’s been good to me the whole week.
“The eagle was a pretty good eagle, I must say. I hit a good drive down the middle and I had about 115 and I hit it to about 20-foot and I just made the putt. I felt good over it. Other than that, I really had a good solid three rounds.
“I had a lot of confidence coming into this event. I have played this course since I was about seven years old. I know this course like the back of my hand. I’m just going to go out there and experience everything tomorrow. It’s all new to me and there are really no expectations towards anything. If I just stick to the game plan that I did today, I think I will do well.”
Three players sit in a share of sixth place with Spain’s Ana Pelaez Trivino, South Africa’s Nicole Garcia and England’s Lily May Humphreys all on six-under-par.
One shot further back on five-under-par are four players with India’s Pranavi Urs, Sweden’s Sofie Bringner, South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace and Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley rounding out the top ten.
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