Barend Botha posted a third-round score of three-under-par 67 on Tuesday to move inside the top 20 after 54 holes of the Korn Ferry Tour’s opening tournament of 2025, the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island at the Ocean Club Golf Course in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Botha made three bogeys in his third round, but countered that with six birdies as he moved into a share of 19h ahead of the final round on nine-under-par for the tournament.
He was nine strokes off the lead, which was held at 18-under-par by American John VanDerLaan, who signed for a third round of two-under-par 68. He led by four from fellow-Americans Pierceson Coody and Hank Lebioda.
Botha is on the Korn ferry Tour after his promotion from the PGA Tour Americas, where he had two wins in Canada last year. He opened the tournament with a two-under 68, and followed it with a four-under 66 in the second round.
Behind Botha, Christo Lamprecht carded a third-round one-under 69 to slip down into a share of 46th on six-under-par, and Garrick Higgo struggled to a three-over 73 and he plummeted down the leaderboard to a share of 57th on five-under.
