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Michael Vlismas
Thomas Aiken chipped in for eagle on the last to cap a memorable course record 61 for a one-stroke lead in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek on Saturday.
The young South African stunned the field with a flawless round of golf that lifted him to 18 under par and chasing a maiden victory on the European Tour.
“It was a fantastic day. I played superb golf in the second round for a 65 and came out just trying to follow that up and keep amongst the leaders. It’s a funny game this. You just plod along and all of a sudden things start to happen and the next thing you know you’re 11 under par for your round,” said Aiken.
He is chased by American Len Mattiace on 17 under following his 66, and David Lynn, Richard Sterne, Oskar Henningsson and Robert Rock all on 14 under par.
Sterne, who started the round one stroke off the lead, was again undone by the par-five 18th. After posting an eight there in the second round, he signed for a seven on this hole on Saturday.
But for Aiken, one of the most fearsome holes at Leopard Creek provided the greatest delight in the third round.
“I was just off the green on the left and hit a good chip and it went in the hole. I was a little lucky there,” he said of the shot that saw him improve the course record from Trevor Immelman’s 63 in 2003.
“I was pretty lucky to have this happen on moving day. I’ve shot 60 in a practice round before and had 61 in a tournament in Swaziland a few years back. But on a golf course as challenging and demanding as this, this is definitely the best round of my career. I had no idea about the record and I didn’t want to think about it. But course records are always nice to have, especially on this golf course.”
Aiken is no stranger to victory, having won seven times on the Sunshine Tour in a career that began when he turned professional at the age of 18 and saw him endure an almost soul-destroying introduction to the world of professional golf.
“It hasn’t been all that easy. I’ve had my ups and downs. I turned pro at 18 and the first year of going to Europe was really tough, not only from a golf perspective but a lifestyle one as well. It takes a while to mature,” he said.
“The last two years have seen the biggest growth in my career. I played in America on the Nationwide Tour and then on the European Tour, and I learnt a lot.”
With a 41-year-old veteran of the PGA Tour chasing him in the form of Mattiace, Aiken believes he knows exactly what he’ll need to do to secure a victory on Sunday.
“I know what it’s like to win. You just have to stay patient and focused in the final round. A lot of people will struggle and there’ll be a lot of nerves out there. If you can compose yourself the best, that’s your best chance of succeeding.
“I’m just going to play one shot at a time and not think about scores. I’ll play the course as best as I can.”
It’s a philosophy he was taught by Tony Johnstone, who has become almost a mentor for Aiken over the years and whose caddie for 22 years – Phillip Letwaba – has carried Aiken’s bag for the past three years.
“After a particularly bad round a few years ago, I met Tony coming off the course and he asked me if I’d tried my hardest on every shot. I said yes, and he told me there’s nothing more that you can do. That’s how I try and approach my golf now,” said Aiken.
But he can’t help thinking of just how important a win on Sunday will be, having just lost his European Tour card.
“I badly want that card back. I’ve got a limited amount of starts next year so I definitely want to get it back, and this will be a nice way to do it, with a win.” |
