South Africans Trevor Fisher Jr. and Thomas Aiken battled strong winds to share the lead on 16-under-par after the third round of the Africa Open at the East London Golf Club Saturday. Fisher Jr., the overnight leader, fired a two-under 71 for an overall total of 203, while Aiken captured an eagle and four birdies, with two dropped shots, to card a four-under 69. South Africa's Jbe Kruger is one shot off the pace while compatriots Jake Roos and Charl Schwartzel are tied for fourth place on 14-under. Briton Miles Tunnicliff and South African Bradford Vaughn are on 13-under. Fisher junior overcame two bogeys in his first five holes thanks to back to back birdies on the par-four 14th and the par-five 15th. “I hit some good shots coming in and luckily I felt comfortable in the wind. My short game was just there today and it is not normally this good,” he told reporters. Fisher Jr., who battled with a stomach bug during his round, said that the prospect of contending for his first European Tour title was not something that he would worry too much about. “Whatever happens tomorrow happens. I'm not in it to beat anyone down, the best man will win,” he said. Aiken, who began the day two shots off the pace, made a fast start to his round with a birdie three on the first hole and an eagle on the 492-yard par-five third. A strong wind began to pick up in the afternoon to halt the glut of low scores that had been a feature of the first two days of the tournament and Aiken, who had reeled off nine pars in a row, finally succumbed when he bogeyed the par-four 13th hole. However, he made amends with three straight birdies from the 15th hole to ease himself into a share of the lead. The Africa Open is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and South Africa's Sunshine Tour.
