Frittelli takes two-shot lead into final round in Bahrain

Dylan Frittelli pulled himself into the overall lead with a three-under-par 69 in the third round of the Bahrain Championship on Saturday, and is two shots clear of Ockie Strydom.

South Africa's Frittelli recovered from a bogey on the fourth to hit five birdies, and would have had a bigger lead but for a bogey on the last, and is 12-under-par overall, with his compatriot Strydom on 10 under.

"I'm happy, it was another tough day in the wind and I seemed to handle it pretty well," Frittelli said. "It's a pity about the two bogeys I made out there but I fought really hard today."

Frittelli began the round with a three-way share of the lead alongside Joel Girrbach and Jesper Svensson, but all three struggled early on at a windy Royal Golf Course.

Girrbach suffered three bogeys on the opening seven holes and ended with a round of two-over par, and fell to five shots off the lead, while Svensson managed a par round to stay in contention in third at nine-under-par overall.

Strydom, two shots off the leaders at the start of play, bogeyed the first, and after reaching the turn on level par, hit three consecutive birdies early on the back nine. He goes into the final round still two shots off Frittelli.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND SCORES

204 - Dylan Frittelli (RSA) 67 68 69

206 - Ockie Strydom (RSA) 66 71 69

207 - Jesper Svensson (SWE) 70 65 72

209 - Joel Girrbach (SUI) 65 70 74,  Sebastian Garcia (ESP) 71 68 70, Sam Bairstow 70 69 70, Scott Jamieson 67 71 71,  Niklas Norgaard Moeller (DEN) 69 69 71, Zander Lombard (RSA) 65 73 71, Frederic Lacroix (FRA) 69 71 69

210 - Matthew Jordan 68 72 70, Sebastian Soderberg (SWE) 68 71 71, Harrison Endycott (AUS) 69 68 73

211- Will Enefer 69 72 70, Ugo Coussaud (FRA) 68 72 71, Julien Guerrier (RA) 70 67 74

212 - Andy Sullivan 69 73 70, Daan Huizing (NED) 70 72 70,  Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 70 72 70, Grant Forrest 70 72 70, Marcus Armitage 67 74 71, Rasmus Hojgaard (DEN) 67 73 72, Darren Fichardt (RSA) 70 69 73, Matthew Southgate 69 71 72, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 68 71 73