Lile Leads at Telkom PGA

PRETORIA, South Africa -- Craig Lile posted his second consecutive round of 5-under 67 on Saturday to take the third-round lead of the Telkom PGA Championship. He stands at 16-under-par 200 and owns a one-shot lead over Warrick Druian at Woodhill Country Club.

Desvonde Botes shot a third-round 68 and is alone in third place at 14-under-par 202.

Heavy rain caused the start of the round to be delayed two hours and the wet conditions impacted the round. Overnight leader Dean van Staden felt it the worst as he went double-bogey, bogey, double-bogey to start his round and fall off the top of the leaderboard.

Lile was steady with a pair of pars at the first two holes. He birdied four in a row from the third and added another at the eighth to surge to the top of the leaderboard.

Things fell apart on the back nine for Lile but he was still able to save pars. At the par-5 11th, Lile missed the fairway badly and was forced to chip out but he nearly drained his birdie putt. One hole later, Lile luckily hit the cup with his birdie try because the ball was moving so fast it still left him with four feet for par. He sank that and parred out to polish off his 67.

‘It was definitely a round of two halves,’ said Lile. ‘The first eight holes I stood over it and knew there was only one place it was going, next to the hole. The next nine I felt there was only one place it wasn’t going and that was next to the flag. I didn’t feel comfortable at all.’

Lile played the Nationwide Tour last season and that will help him on Sunday. With four top-25 finishes this season, Lile seems poised to finally visit the winner’s circle.

‘I don’t think you need consistency to win. Probably 15 or 20 years ago consistency would get you victories, but not anymore,’ said Lile. ‘You have your good week and you win. The guy who is consistent normally finishes in the top-10 quite a lot.’

Druian birdied 17 and ran home a 20-footer for birdie at the last to shoot a 68.

Defending champion Michiel Bothma (69), Michael Kirk (66), Thomas Aiken (68) and Jean Hugo (70) are tied for fourth place at minus-13.

Garth Mulroy (67) and Sandeep Grewal (68) share eighth at 12-under-par 204.

Van Staden struggled to a 6-over 78 and is part of a logjam in 34th place at minus-six.

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