With three spots at The Open up for grabs for top-10 finishers at the Open de France, Jaco van Zyl made his move on Saturday.
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With the chasing pack unable to reel him in over the notoriously tough back nine, Wiesberger always looked in control of matters and ended in a blaze of glory by holing a 15ft birdie putt on the last green after a glorious drive and approach shot.
And with South African Van Zyl dropping a shot on the second after a poor chip, Kaymer was just one shot off the lead alongside fellow German Max Kieffer, who had opened with two pars to remain eight under.
But they are big-name players, with Germany’s two-time major winner Martin Kaymer, France’s Ryder Cup star Victor Dubuisson and James Morrison of England lurking four shots off the lead.
“Today was really a phenomenal round”, Van Zyl told reporters after finishing with a 10-under total of 203. Finished in an ambulance.
“I felt really comfortable from tee to green and made a couple of nice ones (putts)”. I hit it really good.
“I think you need to be two or three under par after six or seven holes because when you start the back nine, from 12 to 18 it’s really hard to make birdies”.
“I think it will play a big role”, he added.
It was Weisberger’s first win since his double success in 2012 and the €500,000 cheque is his biggest European Tour pay day. “Hopefully tomorrow we can pull through”.
Kieffer went round the back in 31 and will head into Sunday with tons of momentum as he, too, guns for his first European tour win.
“I feel like I’m good enough to win”. I don’t know if it’s the time.
Kaymer, who won the title in 2009 and shares the course record of 62, said: “I probably played better than the first two days but the putter was fairly cold today”.
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“I think tomorrow I will need a very good start if I want to have a chance”, he said.
