Parr comes out of the blue
by Ken Borland 14 January 2012, 20:19
Canada's Andrew Parr has no previous case history of excelling on the European Tour, so his third round of eight-under-par 64 on Saturday that catapulted him into the clubhouse lead in the third round of the Joburg Open was a bolt from the blue.
However the final round proceeds, the 28-year-old is almost guaranteed to earn the biggest paycheque of his career after his inspired round that was highlighted by a run of six birdies in eight holes around the turn.
Parr has played most of his golf in Canada, but has appeared sporadically on the Nationwide Tour in the United States. Playing in the Joburg Open is the University of Texas graduate's first foray into the European Tour.
The 6'4'' Parr averages in the region of 300 metres off the tee so he is certainly in the big-hitter's club. Whether he makes it into the winner's circle is another story, but his confidence will be sky-high after not making a bogey in 31 holes.
Parr completed his second round in the morning and just scraped into the rest of the tournament by birdieing the 18th hole on the West Course. That left him in a tie for 48th place ... but an incredible third round has put him right in contention on 12-under-par alongside Dawie van der Walt, a friend of his since they have both been based in Texas.
Only three men are in front of him - George Coetzee, on -14, and co-leaders Richard Finch and Branden Grace on 15-under.