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Denmark coasting, USA chasing, SA grinding at World Cup

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 26 : Team Denmark Thorbjorn Olesen (L) and Soren Kjeldsen (R) of Denmark fist pump after making birdie during round 3 of the World Cup of Golf at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia on November 26, 2016. (Photo by Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
  • Post published:November 26, 2016

The Danish combo of Soren Kjeldsen and Thorbjorn Olesen continued to impress at the World Cup of Golf on Saturday with a foursomes round of 70 to lead by four strokes.

‘I had a seven-shot lead in Turkey and it got down to one. So, I know how easy it can slip away. A four-shot lead is nice, but it’s not going to be easy,’ said Olesen in reference to his victory at the Turkish Airlines Open last month.

The Scandinavian combination scored 60 during the betterball matches on Friday to skyrocket into the lead, then anchored their bid with a Saturday 70 that included five birdies and three dropped shots.

The Americans ‘didn’t come to play for second place’, according to Rickie Fowler, who partnered with Jimmy Walker for a round of 69 on Friday.

They were placed second on 10 under par, four strokes back and hungry to win a record 25th World Cup for the USA.

‘That’s a good place to be going into the last day,’ Walker said. ‘I’m excited, I know Rickie’s excited and we’re looking forward to a good day.’

China’s power combo of Ashen Wu and Li Haotong were sole third on nine under par, and two strokes clear of a tie for fourth shared by Japan, France and Spain.

Team SA made inroads on Saturday with a round of 71 and consolidated in 15th place ahead of the final round, which will be played in a betterball format.

George Coetzee and Jaco van Zyl have done well to overcome their round of 76 in the Thursday foursomes. They improved by 10 shots in the Friday betterball, then carded 71 on Saturday, which could have been even better but for a double bogey at the 16th hole.