Fisher extends Tshwane Open lead

Centurion, South Africa (SportsNetwork.com) - Ross Fisher carded a 5-under 67 on Saturday to stretch his lead at the Tshwane Open to five strokes.

Fisher, who is seeking his fifth career win on the European Tour and first since the 2010 3 Irish Open, finished three rounds at Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate at 18-under-par 198.

"I feel like I'm playing as good as I ever have, probably similar to when I was contending in majors and getting myself into the Ryder Cup team," said Fisher. "If I were to win here it would be a massive confidence boost and a step in the right direction."

Michael Hoey (69) is alone in second place at 13-under, while Simon Dyson (71) and Carlos Del Moral (71) shared third at 12-under.

Merrick Bremner (67), Kevin Phelan (68), Hennie Otto (69), Danie Van Tonder (69), Edoardo Molinari (70), Trevor Fisher, Jr. and Darren Fichardt (71) are tied for fifth at 11-under 205.

Fisher entered the first round with a 1-stroke lead, but quickly gave that shot away with a bogey at the first.

The Englishman bounced right back with back-to-back birdie putts from beyond 20 feet at the second and third to move to 14-under.

After dropping another shot at the par-3 fifth, Fisher again recorded consecutive birdies at his next two holes to reach minus-15.

He closed out his outward nine with a 12-foot birdie putt at the ninth, and recorded birdies at the 13th and 16th around seven pars during a steady inward 34 to claim a comfortable lead at 18-under.

"It would be nice to win in a good fashion because I feel like the game is good enough to win by a good number of strokes," Fisher said. "I want to go out there and shoot a low number and somebody's going to have to come out and shoot a ridiculous score to catch me."

Hoey countered three bogeys with six birdies during his second round to move into second place.

NOTES: Fisher was a member of Europe's winning 2010 Ryder Cup team ... Hoey is a five-time winner on the European Tour. His last victory came at the 2013 M2M Russian Open ... Del Moral was the winner of the European Tour's Q-School last November.