Henrik Stenson covered the back nine at the Gary Player Country Club in seven under par to charge eight strokes clear in the third round of the Sun City Challenge on Saturday. The Swede had seven birdies, including five on the back nine, to sign off a seven-under-par 65. His 54-hole total of 17-under-par 199 put him well within striking distance of the tournament record of 25-under-par 263 set by Ernie Els in 1999. Stenson, 32, will tee off in the final round alongside compatriot Robert Karlsson, whom he partnered to Sweden's second World Cup triumph last week. European Tour Order of Merit winner Karlsson also did well on the back nine for a five-under 67 to finish at nine under. Rory Sabbatini, playing in Stenson's shadow for 18 holes, stayed in touch but faltered at the final hole when his approach found the greenside trap. He failed to up-and-down and the resulting double bogey meant the South African signed for 72 and slipped to third at six under. Lightning again stopped play, after a suspension on Friday that meant players had to complete the second round early on Saturday. Play resumed after a 57-minute delay and Stenson raced to a four-stroke lead with a course-record 63 and kept ahead with a second-round 71. Goggin ahead Australia's Mathew Goggin produced three birdies on his final four holes to shoot a three-under 69 for a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Australian PGA championship Saturday. Compatriots Geoff Ogilvy (67) and Rod Pampling (68) are tied for second a stroke further back on 11 under par at the Hyatt Regency resort course in Queensland. Joint overnight leader Jarrod Lyle (71) produced a solid front nine before he faltered on the run home with three bogeys in the final six holes to slip back into a tie for fourth on 10-under. Prayad tied for lead Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng shot a 7-under 63 Saturday to grab a share of the lead with Japan's Toshinori Muto at the Nippon Series Cup golf tournament. Prayad, who won last month's Dunlop Phoenix, opened with three straight birdies and added four more at the Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club to finish tied at 9-under 201 with Muto, who shot a 66.
