Ainley surges into Burundi Open lead

Third round leaderboard: -1 Ainley Level: Idhiambo, Hakizimana +3 Mundayi +4 Ndayisaba Selected: +5 Ngugi, Ruterana, Wakhu, Ndiza BUJUMBURA - Kenya’s Richard Ainley has overtaken Jean Baptiste Hakizimana in the overall lead of the Burundi Open going into Thursday’s final round at the Bujumbura Golf course. Ainley replicated his second round score of two under 69 in the third round to leapfrog Rwanda’s Hakizimana by one shot. Hakizimana as well as most of the other golfers in the field, struggled to produce their best in the searing afternoon heat. Hakizimana returned a disappointing four over to end the day with a total Gross score of 213, level with Kenyan David Odhiambo, who produced the best round of four under on Wednesday. Ainley came into this year’s tournament seeking for his maiden success but he believes taking a one-shot lead into the final round puts him in the race to break that jinx. “If I am leading by one shot after three rounds, it means am doing something good. I’m enjoying my game, hitting the shots well but not as well as I want, nonetheless I believe I can do a lot better in the final round,” Ainley told Times Sport. Another Rwandan Ernest Ndayisaba scored Par 71 on Wednesday to move into fifth position, five shots behind the leader, while Nelson Mudanyi, who was tied in second place with Sullivun Muthugia on day three, scored four over to fall three shots off the pace. Four players, including the defending champion Dismas Ndiza, Rwanda’s Emmanuel Ruterana and two Kenyans, David Wakhu and Ngugi Njuguna are tied in sixth place, five shots behind.

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Ainley surges into Burundi Open lead