But the South African dropped shots at the last two holes to card a third-round 70 for a 10-under total of 206, two strokes ahead of China’s Lian-Wei Zhang.

Thailand-based Scotsman Simon Yates birdied three of the last four holes to finish a shot further back alongside Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng.

Els started the day one shot ahead but quickly stretched his advantage with birdies at the third, fifth and seventh, and when he birdied the 11th the world number two was five shots clear.

“I saw I was five ahead and I was trying to stretch it,” the 33-year-old admitted. “I was trying to stay aggressive and I did that most of the way.

“I was quite surprised nobody else made anything happen but I didn’t capitalise on the back nine.

“It’s just a pity about the bogey on the 18th. After the tee shot on the 17th I would have taken a bogey but the 18th was disappointing.”

Els pulled his approach to the par-three 17th some 30 yards off target and did well to just drop one shot, but took one club too many on the 18th and went through the green, eventually missing from four feet for par.

“On the 17th I really made a bad swing,” added Els, who won the Nedbank Challenge at the end of last year and the first two events on the US Tour this season.

“I wanted to keep it left of the flag and the water but not that far left. On the 18th I was in-between clubs and went with the more aggressive approach and was not that far away.

“I hit a good chip and thought I had holed the putt but just misread it. But it was a very decent day. I thought the course played a lot tougher with some of the pin positions.

“On some of the short par fours they really tucked the flags away and the wind picked up too.”