'Stupid' shot in Stockholm costs Oosthuizen as he chases historic win

Oosthuizen, trying to become the first player ever to follow a Claret Jug victory with another European Tour win a week later, was tied with Swede Richard Johnson and South Korean KJ Choi when he pulled his approach to the last into sand. Splashing out to 18 feet and missing the putt dropped the 27-year-old South African to nine under par and means Johnson and Choi go head-to-head in the final group again today.

Johnson matched Oosthuizen's two-under 70, while halfway leader Choi managed only a 71 after experiencing what he called "all four seasons in one day." It was windy, it was wet and for one stroke it was very cold too for the 40-year-old, whose only European success was the 2003 German Masters. Choi hit his second to the long 13th into the edge of the lake and chose to take his shoes and socks off and wade in to try to splash the ball out. He went over the green with it before salvaging his par, but found himself in a three-way tie when Johnson and Oosthuizen birdied the 622-yard 15th and he missed from five feet. Oosthuizen said after his closing five: "It was a bit disappointing. I made two thinking errors on the course and it cost me two bogeys."

The first led to a three-putt six on the long ninth. He also drove into the water at the 13th, but after taking a penalty drop he hit his third to 15 feet and made the putt for one of four birdies.

"I was a bit gutted after the ninth and on the last it was a stupid second to that pin. I've got my goals set on winning again, though, and it will be right up there to me - a great achievement after winning last week," Oosthuizen added.

New Zealander Mark Brown, with a best-of-the-day 67, and Argentina's Rafa Echenique (72) are joint fourth on seven under, while Italian Edoardo Molinari, who could force himself into the all-important top nine on the European Ryder Cup table with a top two finish, is one further back.