Johannesburg — Oliver Bekker surged into a three-shot lead on 12-under after the second round of the SA Open at Gary Player Country Club, at Sun City, on Friday.
Bekker, who held a share of the lead with Neil Schietekat overnight on seven-under 65, carded a five-under 67 in round two. His closest challengers are the pair of Justin Harding (68 67) and Schietekat (65 70) on nine-under.
The 36-year-old Bekker began his round with a birdie at the par five first, but gave that shot back with a bogey at the par four second. A birdie on the difficult eighth hole ensured he made the turn in one-under. Coming home, Bekker reeled off birdies on the par five 11th, par four 14th, par three 16th and the par five 18th.
Harding, meanwhile, was bogey free on the day with two birdies on his front nine before he added three more gains on the back nine to keep his name firmly in contention at the halfway stage.
Schietekat, in contrast, had something of a rollercoaster round with three bogeys and five birdies on his way to his two-under total on the day.
In a share of fourth on seven-under are the trio of Daniel van Tonder (69 68), Lyle Rowe (66 71) and Hennie du Plessis (67 70).
The SA Open is being run solely as a Sunshine Tour event this week, after it was stripped of its co-sanctioned status with the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) due to the new travel bans currently imposed on South Africa.
African News Agency (ANA)