PRETORIA, March 2, 2013 (AFP) - With another 13 golfers within six shots of the quartet, the stage is set for a thrilling climax Sunday to a new tournament on the European Tour-Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned circuit.
There are eight South Africans among the 17 leading contenders for the 237,750-euro (S310,690) first prize, raising hopes of a third consecutive home win in the republic.
Richard Sterne won the Joburg Open comfortably and Fichardt survived late final-round jitters to lift the Africa Open two weeks ago. He would love to add the Tshwane Open at a course 10 minutes from his home south west of Pretoria.
After his first-round 65 led the tournament, Fichardt slumped to a 71 in a second round completed early Saturday after thunderstorms forced play to be abandoned Friday two hours before the scheduled finish.
But the 37-year-old native of Pretoria was back to his best in the third round, picking up four birdies on each half of his journey round the par-72, 7,791-yard (7,124-metre) Copperleaf Golf and Country Estate layout.
Halfway leader Coetzee, the surprise among the leaders as he is ranked 972 in the world, picked up six birdies and two bogeys in his 68 with an erratic five-hole showing from 13 costing him the outright lead.
Tullo and Van der Walt each carded a 67 after collecting five birdies apiece and no dropped shots over an Ernie Els-designed course which is among the longest on the European Tour this season.
Former Major winners Darren Clarke (72) of Northern Ireland and Jose Maria Olazabal (74) of Spain are out of contention for first prize after narrowly avoiding the halfway cut.
Leading Tshwane Open scores after third round at par-72, 7,791-yard (7,124-metre) Copperleaf Golf and Country Estate Saturday (RSA unless noted):
200 - Charl Coetzee 67-65-68, Darren Fichardt 65-71-64, Mark Tullo (CHI) 67-66-67, Dawie van der Walt 68-65-67
201 - Louis de Jager 71-65-65
202 - Peter Uihlein (USA) 68-66-68
203 - David Howell (ENG) 67-69-67
204 - Graham van der Merwe 70-66-68
205 - Oliver Bekker 71-67-67, Richard Finch (ENG) 70-66-69, Jake Roos 69-67-69, Graeme Storm (ENG) 70-68-67
206 - Kristoffer Broberg (SWE) 72-67-67, Andrew Curlewis 73-68-65, Morten Orum Madsen (DEN) 70-67-69, Joel Sjoholm (SWE) 68-68-70, Danny Willett (ENG) 68-68-70
207 - Bjorn Akesson (SWE) 66-75-66, Matthew Baldwin (ENG) 70-68-69, Christiaan Basson 70-66-71, Soren Kjeldsen (DEN) 70-69-68, Gary Lockerbie (ENG) 67-71-69, Joost Luiten (NED) 69-69-69, Matthew Nixon (ENG) 70-69-68, Hennie Otto 71-68-68, Romain Wattel (FRA) 70-66-71
208 - Jaco Ahlers 68-72-68, Damien McGrane (IRL) 68-71-69, Vaughn Groenewald 68-70-70, Scott Henry (SCO) 72-69-67, Jean Hugo 67-71-70, Jbe Kruger 71-70-67, Garth Mulroy 69-70-69, Robert Rock (ENG) 71-69-68, Adilson da Silva (BRA) 69-70-69, Paul Waring (ENG) 74-65-69, Justin Walters 71-71-66, Peter Whiteford (SCO) 71-69-68
209 - Merrick Bremner 68-70-71, Colin Nel 69-70-70, Matteo Delpodio (ITA) 71-68-70, Ross McGowan (ENG) 73-68-68, Justin Harding 68-70-71, Mikko Korhonen (FIN) 68-72-69, Ruan de Smidt 69-70-70
210 - Desvonde Botes 69-70-71, Dylan Frittelli 68-71-71, Doug McGuigan 71-67-72, Keith Horne 68-70-72, Lasse Jensen (DEN) 73-67-70, James Kamte 69-70-71, James Kingston 70-72-68, Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 72-69-69, Chris Lloyd (ENG) 71-70-69, Eddie Pepperell (ENG) 70-72-68, Gary Stal (FRA) 72-69-69