Germany's Sven Struver walked off the 18th green a relieved man on Saturday, nursing a slender one-shot lead after a third consecutive day of fierce heat to which was added a blustery, mountain breeze. As always, when the Cape's elements are at their toughest, no golfer is spared his share of heartache.

Well placed for the final day, on five-under par 208 to Struver's 207, is Spain's Ignacio Garrido who posted an outstanding round of 69 while American Scott Dunlap (71) and 1993 SA Open champion Clinton Whitelaw (71) are a further shot back on 209, four-under par.

Three further players, Jeev Singh of India, Mark Roe of England and American Bob May are three-under par although many people are still tipping the winner to come from the group one shot further back on 211, four shots adrift of Struver. Defending champion Ernie Els and local boy David Frost, both Cape-seasoned and capable of a dramatic charge, are the men carrying the smart money. If anyone understands how merciless the conditions can be, it is Els who considers himself "definitely still in the running" despite returning a frustrating round of 70 for a three round total of 211, two-under par.

A couple of makeable birdie putts slipped past the hole for Els over the first six holes but then the wind picked up forcing him to "scramble a hellova lot and make a few saves from all over the place." Then, finally, he made his move with a wedge to eight feet on the par-three 13th hole - for birdie - followed by another on the par-five 14th when he splashed out of a greenside bunker to seven feet and made the putt.

With Els moving to four-under, Struver was moving in the opposite direction following a dramatic triple bogey eight on the par-five 12th. The German pulled his layup shot into thick kikuyu and then hit his third shot fat into the pond guarding the front of the green. He dropped out and three-putted before sacrificing his lead altogether four holes later with another bogey on the 16th. Struver had enjoyed a four-shot lead over the field at the start of the day and he immediately improved that to a daunting five shots with a ten foot birdie putt at the first hole. After his later dramas, it was with great relief that he saw his pitch at the last stop just a foot from the hole for a birdie which reclaimed his lead.

Els, meanwhile, finished miserably with drops on 16 and 17, when a pulled tee-shot cost him dear followed by "the worst shot I've hit in five years...at least." The offending club on the 17th was a humble wedge which he "tried to hit too softly. I only had 130 yards to the pin, down wind, and I dumped it straight in the trap. Unbelievable."

With more hot, windy conditions forecast for the final day the winner will have to play at his very best. In fact, if conditions remain as they were for the leaders on Saturday, Els predicted that Struver's current position - six under - would be good enough to win the tournament.