Carrera and Bautista chasing Zim Open glory

Luis Carrera. Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour

Mexico’s Luis Carrera and Australia’s Austin Bautista, the Sunshine Tour’s two newest qualifying school graduates, will head into Sunday’s final round of the FBC ZIM Open chasing maiden victories on the tour at Royal Harare Golf Club.

Carrera heads the field on 14-under par following a third round of 69 on Saturday. He is one stroke clear of Bautista, who signed for a 66. South Africa’s MJ Viljoen remains in contention on 12-under following his third round of 70.

Carrera, who held the overnight lead, didn’t have the best of starts as he bogeyed the first hole while playing partner Viljoen signalled his intent with an eagle two at the first.

“MJ hit a great shot on the first and eagled and I bogeyed so it was a three-shot swing. But there was still a lot of golf left and a lot of other players as well, so I needed to focus on my own game, which I did. It was a good round. I didn’t have my A game but in the end I was happy that I was able to still play well,” said Carrera.

Carrera won the Sunshine Tour’s Qualifying School in April with a magnificent final round of 61 and is looking for a winning start to his career in South Africa.

Behind him, Bautista – another graduate from the Sunshine Tour Qualifying School – made the biggest move on Saturday with a sublime bogey-free 66.

The experienced Trevor Fisher Jnr and Hennie Otto will head into the final round in tied fourth place on nine under par.

Fisher Jnr in particular may feel he is due a victory in the FBC Zim Open after twice finishing second in 2012 and 2017, losing in a play-off on both occasions.

Scores

202 - Luis Carrera 67 66 69

203 - Austin Bautista 67 70 66

204 - MJ Viljoen 68 66 70

207 - Trevor Fisher Jnr 69 70 68, Hennie Otto 66 71 70

209 - Fredrik From 70 70 69, Martin Rohwer 72 65 72

210 - Samuel Simpson 71 69 70

211 - Stefan Wears-Taylor 72 70 69, Robson Chinhoi 71 68 72, Jean Hugo 70 68 73

212 - Ricky Hendler 70 74 68, Jaco Prinsloo 70 71 71

213 - Tyran Snyders 74 71 68, JJ Senekal 70 72 71, Jacques Blaauw 69 73 71, Hennie O'Kennedy 74 67 72, Simon du Plooy 73 67 73, Ruan Conradie 71 69 73

214 - Quintin Wilsnach 73 72 69, Stals Swart 71 72 71, Dylan Mostert 69 74 71, Lyle Rowe 71 71 72, Heinrich Bruiners 70 72 72, Visitor Mapwanya 71 71 72, Doug McGuigan 67 73 74

215 - Stuart Krog 75 69 71, Kyle De Beer 71 73 71, Kyle Barker 70 73 72, Herman Loubser 75 68 72, Tristen Strydom 74 69 72, Jake Redman 71 72 72

216 - Tonderai Masunga 75 70 71, Rupert Kaminski 71 72 73, Nyasha Muyambo 70 73 73, Estiaan Conradie 73 69 74, Kyle McClatchie 70 72 74, Malcolm Mitchell 72 69 75

217 - Graham van der Merwe 75 70 72, Jacques P de Villiers 76 69 72, Jaco Van Zyl 70 72 75, Oliver Bekker 71 70 76

218 - Mikkel Antonsen 72 73 73, Ruan Korb 73 69 76, Matthew Spacey 72 69 77, Warwick Purchase 68 72 78

219 - Neil Schietekat 74 71 74, Christiaan Burke 70 75 74, Luke Jerling 73 72 74, Pierre Viallaneix 75 70 74, David Meyers 70 74 75, Christiaan Basson 68 76 75, Shaahid Mahmed 73 71 75, Rhys West 70 72 77, Brandon Meads 69 73 77

220 - Luke Brown 75 69 76, Ryan Cairns 70 73 77

221 - Gerhard Pepler 73 71 77

222 - Keegan Mclachlan 72 73 77, Jack Hawksby 72 73 77, Tyrone Ryan 67 77 78, Dayne Moore 74 70 78

223 - Joe Knox 73 71 79

224 - Werner Deyzel 72 71 81