Angel Ayora and Casey Jarvis will share top spot heading into the final round of the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa after reaching 17 under par on Saturday.
Ayora, who began his day two shots off the pace, delivered two birdies on the front nine and another four on the back, in a bogey-free third-round performance at Karen Country Club.
The Spaniard navigated the overnight change in conditions, the course playing softer due to rain, and made the most of his opportunities to put himself in prime position at the 54-hole mark.
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South African Jarvis, having shared the lead with Niklas Lemke after day one, with Frederic Lacroix through two rounds and now Ayora, continued his solid form, carding a 66.
The 22-year-old picked up three shots across his first nine holes to go out in 32, another three birdies on the way home offsetting bogeys at the 10th and 17th.
He now turns his attention to Sunday, where he will aim to secure his maiden DP World Tour victory and keep the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa trophy on African soil.
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American Davis Bryant and Jarvis’ compatriot Hennie du Plessis share third place on 16 under par, following rounds of 64 and 65 respectively, with Italian Francesco Laporta at 15 under.
England’s Nathan Kimsey, Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen and Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia sat one stroke behind, with play to again begin early on Sunday due to predicted thunderstorms.
Player quotes
Casey Jarvis: I think I played pretty solid, played the front nine really nicely, just didn’t make as many putts as I would have liked. Bit of a shaky tenth hole but brought it back nicely.
I kind of knew what the other guys were doing. There was a leaderboard on, I think, the eighth hole and I kind of saw that they were all playing pretty nicely. I wasn’t thinking of it much, I just stuck to my game plan.
We’re both TaylorMade boys (Ayora and Jarvis) so it’s lovely to see that he’s up there as well. He’s a fantastic player and I think tomorrow we’ll both hopefully push each other and we’ll see what happens.
Angel Ayora: Well today was a nice round, bogey-free, that’s an amazing feeling. I’m playing very good and hope to repeat that tomorrow.
I don’t think it’s a conservative course – if you have to put the ball in a place, you have to do it so it is what it is. I think the most important thing on this course is to be good from the second shot to the green and the putting, and I think if you have opportunities to make it, you’ve got to take it.
We changed the strategy a little bit because the fairways were softer and the greens also. On the first hole I hit a full shot with my 56 (degree wedge) and I got like seven, eight metres backspin, which yesterday wasn’t happening. But the course is in a good shape.
It would be amazing (to win), but I said yesterday I’m going to try to enjoy it, try to have fun tomorrow, and we’ll see.
Davis Bryant: Yeah, I mean, I just rolled in some putts on the front. Kind of got up some momentum, got hot a little bit. Kind of kept the momentum on nine with the punch out and the par save, so, yeah, very pleased with today, crowds are great – excited for tomorrow.
I thought I made it (on 17), yeah. It went back about, I don’t know, two or three paces past the pin, and almost went in, so that would’ve been quite a bonus. But yeah, happy to make four.
I haven’t put myself in this position in a while so, you know, to be in a good spot going in tomorrow is what you want to do.
Hennie du Plessis: I’m going to start with the front nine. I was quite nervous, I haven’t been in the mix in a DP World Tour event in a while, so I was quite nervous. I didn’t have my best ball striking out there but I was very patient and finished the back nine brilliant. I think I made six birdies. On a course like this, on a back nine like that, I am very pleased with the way I finished.
I normally use the nerves to my advantage but for some reason, my ball striking was a bit out, my timing was a bit out, so I had to adjust quite a bit out there and knock down shots just to keep the body moving. I think nerves are always good and especially if I can turn it around on the back nine.
I think to get your first victory, I think it just validates the work you’ve put in. I think I am very much a capable player, a good player, and it would be nice to tick that box.
Francesco Laporta: I played solid today. I just made a few mistakes out there, but it was an easier day. It’s been quite tricky, some of the other guys have gone low so I just tried to do my best and had a good finish with birdie-birdie.
The weather conditions have been perfect the last three days, so that helps. The last three days have really fit my game because I love fairways, and this is the kind of course that if you are very straight from the tee, you get more opportunities. Driver is working good, my short game is in good shape so I am just going to try to do my best tomorrow and I’m glad to be up there again.
