Louis Oosthuizen clinches halfway lead at the season-starter Africa Open on the European Tour
South African Louis Oosthuizen successfully managed to maintain his lead in the second round of the Africa open at East London Golf Club, South Africa. Oosthuizen shot a massive 11-under, 62 on the second day, one shot behind the course record, to edge past the overnight leader Thomas Aiken.
The 2010 Open champion pulled in no fewer than eight birdies and a blistering eagle at par-four, 6th, the same hole he fell for a double-bogey the previous day.
“I was aggressive on the putter. I went about six foot past a few times and I had to make those for par,” said Oosthuizen. “The last one I made on the eighth would have been eight or ten foot past, but it hit the middle of the cup”.
Oosthuizen insisted that the eagle on the sixth required great concentration on his part as he had shot the same for the bushes on the first day using a 3-wood. He added that he used the same club today for the same shot but with amazing results.
“So I hit it on the green at the back. I saw the line of the putt but I wasn’t sure so I asked my caddie and he saw exactly the same line. I hit a perfect putt and it went straight in the middle of the hole, but it was a very long putt,” Oosthuizen added.
Aiken, the overnight leader, started off his second day later in the afternoon and pulled in three birdies on the opening four holes.
He settled for even-par for the rest of the front nine and made the turn to card two more birdies, dropping a shot on the last hole.
He is now tied for the second position along with three other players, namely, Retief Goosen, Jaco Ahlers and Tjaart Van Der Walt.
Goosen, the grizzled veteran who has been in contention since the start of the event, pulled in seven birdies and dropped two shots on the front nine to finish for the second spot.
He had an aggregate of 13-under, 133, two shots behind Oosthuizen. Goosen has been lurking in the shadows for the last five years and is in dire need of a victory on the tour.
The tournament had so far been dominated by the home players who have played the turf during local events.
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