Branden Grace is on line for his first European Tour triumph as he went into the final round of the Joburg Open with a three-shot lead at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on Sunday.

Having completed his third round with a seven-under-par 65 on Sunday morning, birdieing five of the last six holes, Grace leapt to 17-under-par, with his nearest challengers being Englishman Richard Finch and fellow South African George Coetzee on 14-under.

The 23-year-old Grace understandably feels on top of his game after rounds of 67 and 65 on the East Course, sandwiching a 66 on the West Course.

“I’m hitting the ball well and I’m putting really nicely, which is a bonus for me at this stage. I’m going to stick to my game-plan and just keep doing what I’ve been doing. I’m going to try to do the same thing I’ve been doing the whole week.

“You just need to give yourself birdie opportunities. I feel like I’m playing well and the putting is there, so it’s nice to give yourself chances with the knowledge that you’re going to make some,” Grace said after his third round.

Grace had to complete the 16th, 17th and 18th holes on Sunday morning and he birdied the par-four and the par-five to cement his position atop the leaderboard.

“It was a quick finish, nice and fresh and early this morning, it worked out today. I would take that start any day. I’m feeling good, happy to be here and I’m playing well at the moment, so I’ll just take it from here,” he said.

There should not be any weather interruptions on the final day, but Grace has been philosophical about all the delays and twice having to complete rounds on the next day.

“I don’t think there is anything you can do about it. Nature calls and you just have to keep your head down and keep going,” he said.

Grace’s cousin, Michiel Bothma, was another to make the most of his early return to the course on Sunday, chipping in on the 18th hole to make eagle and jump to 13-under-par.

It had been an anxious start to the day for Bothma, who came off the course on the third evening with an eight-foot putt for par on the 17th hole waiting for him.

“I drained it this morning and we said that if we could finish par-eagle it would be a fantastic start to the day, and it happened, what we were hoping for the whole of last night!”

The 38-year-old will be hoping to add to his five Sunshine Tour titles and will be praying his putter comes to the party far more than it did in the third round.

“I made a quick start yesterday, getting to 11-under, but then I parred everything and lipped so many putts. I just kept putting a little lag on the putts and when we had the line, then we couldn’t get the pace right,” Bothma said.