Louis Oosthuizen acknowledges the fans after finishing the third round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. | Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Louis Oosthuizen holds the 54-hole lead at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, which is being played on a course he helped design.
Fresh off his victory at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, LIV Golf’s Louis Oosthuizen holds the solo lead at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
Interestingly, this week’s DP World Tour event—the final one of the 2023 calendar year—is being played at the Heritage La Réserve GC, a course Oosthuizen helped design.
The South African knows his way around the place, which helps explain why he soared up the leaderboard on Saturday with a 7-under 65.
Oosthuizen made a barrage of eagles, including back-to-back eagles on the par-5 5th and the par-4 6th. The 6th hole at the Heritage La Réserve GC is a drivable, 311-yard par-4. Oosthuizen chipped in from beside the green.
“I’m playing well, so it’s all going to be on how I manage myself and think process around this golf course,” Oosthuizen said after the round, per the DP World Tour.
“It’s nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time to come here as the co-designer, but [fellow designer] Peter [Matkovich] has done a phenomenal job.”
Oosthuizen almost made his third eagle of the day at the par-5 8th, but he had to settle for birdie after his short putt missed.
Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Louis Oosthuizen plays his tee shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
But the 2010 Champion Golfer of the Year finally got his third eagle at the par-5 15th, which brought him to 15-under for the tournament and 8-under for the round.
“I think that was the first time I ever did three eagles in one round, and I missed a short putt for eagle on eight,” Oosthuizen said.
“I was giving myself opportunities, and I still feel like I’m rolling the ball well on the green, so hopefully, I can do the same tomorrow.”
He then bogeyed the par-3 17th, which brought him back to 14-under, where he currently sits.
Oosthuizen holds a one-shot lead over fellow South African Jacques De Villiers heading into the final round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.