Saturday 28 February 2015 17:17, UK
South Africa's Wallie Coetsee fired a six-under second round 66 to hold a one-shot advantage at the halfway stage of the Joburg Open.
The 42-year-old opened with three successive birdies on the West course, making further gains at the 6th and 17th to go alongside an eagle at the par-five 15th.
Coetsee's only blemish came with what he described as a "stupid" bogey on the 7th, but he heads into the weekend one stroke clear of compatriots Garth Mulroy and Tjaart van der Walt as well as England's Simon Dyson.
“There were no cameras on me the whole day, so it was quite easy out there,” Coetsee said, who is searching for his maiden European Tour title. “This is a marathon, not a race. You have to pull the horse back a bit, you can’t run too fast. We’ll let the horse loose on Sunday on the back nine.
“For now it’s about making solid pars and keeping the battery at 100 per cent; keep it going and you’ll be ready when you need to be.
“Leading means a lot to myself, but tomorrow we start from level par again. I’ll just give it my best. I’m looking forward to this weekend and seeing what happens."
In the mix
Dyson, without a European Tour title in four years, made five birdies form his first 10 holes before adding another from 15-feet at the 17th. Despite a bogey at the 12th being Dyson's only dropped shot of the day, the 37-year-old admitted his round could have gone better.
“I didn’t play as well as yesterday, but I scored pretty well,” Dyson said. “There was some luck. I got fortunate on 10: I pushed my drive down there and managed to get a shot, hit to about three feet and knocked that in, which was a bonus."
South African duo Mulroy and van der Walt join Dyson in contention on 11-under after posting second round scores of 68 and 69 respectively on the more challenging East course, with Sweden's Niclas Fasth alongside Anthony Wall a further stroke back following an impressive eagle at the 18th to shoot a second round 67.
Alex Noren fired the round of the day after striking eight birdies during an eight-under 63, although it looked like it was going to be beaten by Justin Walters after the South African reached the turn in just 28.
A first ever 59 on the European Tour looked a genuine possibility after Walters carded with six birdies and an eagle at the ninth, but three dropped shots on the back nine leaves him part of the group six adrift.
South African Open champion Andy Sullivan produced a fine second round display with a seven-under 65, while Europe's 2016 Ryder Cup captain, Darren Clarke, missed the cut following an inconsistent one-over 72.
Watch day three of the Joburg Open live on Saturday from 10.30am on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.
