Steven O’Hara extends his lead in the second round of the South African Open
Without a win for a consecutive 222 matches, Scot Steven O’Hara has finally decided to take the bull by the horns as he again clinched the lead in the second round of the South African Open. Being overnight co-leader in the first round at the scenic Serengeti
Golf Club, Ekurhuleni, South Africa, O’Hara requires a desperate win this weekend to retain his tour card at the European Tour. The 31-year-old Scot carded a round of four-under, 68 to surge to the top of the leaderboard, this time leading the tournament all
by himself through the halfway mark.
“I have played really well, my whole game feels in good shape,” said O’Hara. “I need a good finish to keep my card on The European Tour, a top three or four finish so I’ve put myself in a good position to do that. This will be my last one unless I get a
top-five finish, which may get me into Hong Kong. It’s like I’ve got nothing to lose anyway, so I’ve been a bit more aggressive this week.”
Coupled with his majestic first round where he pulled in six birdies and a glistening eagle at par-five, 8th, O’Hara remained on the back foot on the second day, avoiding unwanted bogeys and carding four birdies through the 18-hole stretch. He
is now 11-under, 133 on the aggregate and needs to improve his current Race to Dubai Ranking of 134th.
The round was tightly contested by the runners up of the day, Merrick Bremner and Retief Goosen, who closed their respective rounds trailing the leader by one shot. Goosen, a two-time major winner, continued with his fine form, carding a humble 68 on the
second day against his splendid 66 on the first.
Goosen who was a runner up to Ernie Els last year, pulled in five birdies but dropped one shot at par-three, 5th to stay behind the leader. The veteran remains confident of his current form and hopes to break his winless streak after a while.
“Any time I’m one shot off the lead going into the weekend it’s great,” said Goosen.
South African Garth Mulroy, winner of last week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship on the Sunshine Tour, has done well so far to still be in contention and is currently poised at joint fourth alongside Lyle Rowe. He is nine-under, 135 so far. Jbe Kruger, co-leader
of the first round alongside O’Hara, has now fallen down the leaderboard with his lopsided round of 71 on the second day.
World Golf Hall of Famer, Els continued with his form vows and has now dropped to a disappointing joint 15th through the halfway mark, carding a second round score of 69. He is sharing the current position with no fewer than 12 other players on
the leaderboard.
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