Darren Fichardt

South African Darren Fichardt carded a two-under-par 69 to take a commanding five-stroke lead at the Saint Omer Open.

Few players handled the conditions with Briton Simon Wakefield the only other player in the field to be under par for the tournament at two under, with Sunday's round to play.

Wakefield is in outright second from three players in equal third at even par in Chilean Mark Tullo, Briton Gary Lockerbie and Dutchman Wil Besseling.

Fichardt made it look easy with five consecutive birdies to close his front nine before three bogies on the back nine blotched his round.

The 37-year-old is the only player to shoot sub-70 in each of his opening three rounds.

The best illustration of how difficult Saturday was came from Tullo whose 67 vaulted him up 42 places to equal third.

Second-round leader Sihwan Kim learnt the hard way, enduring a brutal day to slip back to the field.

He carded a triple bogey, two double bogeys, four bogeys and a birdie for a 10-over 81 to fall into a tie for 20th at four-over par.

Matthew Zions it the leading Australian, 11 shots off the pace in a tie for 20th.