Hennie du Plessis played himself into contention on Saturday in the Challenge Tour’s Hopps Open de Provence at Golf International de Pont Royal in Mallemort, France, with a five-under-par 67 moving him into a share of eighth.
He made six birdies and a bogey for his best round of the week, and he joined Oliver Bekker on 10-under for the tournament, eight behind the leader Lukas Nemecz of Austria. Nemecz had a a four-stroke lead over Marcel Schneider of Germany and France’s Julien Brun and Ugo Coussaud.
Du Plessis had an early birdie on the second, and he followed that with a bogey on three, but, after that, he was flawless with birdies on seven, eight, 13, 14 and 18.
Bekker had an altogether quieter round with two birdies and a bogey in his one-under 71. Jacques Blaauw battled his way to a three-over-par 75, and he joined JC Ritchie on five-under in a share of 43rd after Ritchie signed for a three-under 69.
