Paarl, 20 December 2008: Lee Westwood will take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the South African Open and is hoping to become only the seventh foreign winner of this championship.

The European Ryder Cup star posted a third round of 68 for a total of 14 under par, with Ireland’s Gareth Maybin and Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera his nearest challengers on 12 under.

Double US Open champion Retief Goosen is only three strokes off the lead and feeling confident of his chances. Goosen turned around a disappointing front nine of one over par with a back nine of four under.

"I thought I was out of it after that front nine, but then I played great coming in. It will take a low round on the final day to win this, but I’m back in it," he said.

Ernie Els was amongst the challengers only two strokes off the lead overnight. But a disastrous 77, featuring two triple-bogey sevens on his card, saw him finish the day on five under.

Westwood again managed his game to perfection on Saturday, keeping the bogeys off his card and not allowing the frustrations of a putter that hasn’t fired all year to get to him.

After birdying two of his first three holes, Westwood made ten frustrating pars thereafter before holing a six-foot putt for birdie on the 14th and then birdying the last as well.

"I’m pleased with the way I’ve played. I’ve been very solid and have made only one bogey in three rounds. But I could’ve made eight birdies out there. I’ve putted okay but still missed a lot of chances," he said, echoing what has been a frustrating part of his game all year.

"I can’t figure it out. I’ve had something like 14 top tens this year and feel that if I had a good putter I could quite easily have won six or seven tournaments, one of them being a Major. That’s the standard I’ve been playing at. Maybe I’ll figure it out by the time I’m 50."

Lorenzo-Vera enjoyed a two-stroke lead going into the round, but crashed off the top of the leaderboard early on with a double bogey on the par-five third, giving Westwood the lead.

South Africa’s George Coetzee produced four consecutive birdies from the third to also climb into contention, and went on to eagle the last for a place at 11 under and hunting the biggest victory of his young career.

Lorenzo-Vera reclaimed the lead when he eagled the fifth, but relinquished it again to Westwood when he dropped three shots in two holes with a bogey on 11 and a double bogey on the short 12th. The Frenchman birdied his final hole for a 72 and a total of 12 under.

Rory McIlroy added to the drama when he birdied four of his final five holes for a 67 to also line up on 11 under.

But Westwood held his nerve and his grip on this championship.