JOHANNESBURG - Darren Fichardt boomed a fine drive up the middle of the par-5 eighth hole on Royal Johannesburg & Kensington’s sodden East Course on Friday in round two of the Joburg Open, leaving him 295 yards to the flag.
The 41-year-old pulled his three-metal out the bag, addressed the ball and – with that characteristic, super smooth swing which has served him so well in over 330 European Tour events and countless more on the Sunshine Tour – hit a cracking shot onto the green, before holing a 25-footer for a splendid eagle three.
“Yeah, I certainly got off to fast start because I was now six under through eight holes (after birdies at 1, 3, 4 and 6). I did go to sleep at No 10 where I made bogey from the middle of the fairway but seven straight pars followed and I managed to birdie the par-5 last from a greenside bunker which was a nice way to finish,” said the consummate professional who plays out of Centurion Country Club.
That all added up to a six-under-par 66 to go with his five-under 66 on the par-71 West Course in round one to give him the clubhouse lead on 11-under 132 in this R16,5-million event. Jacques Kruyswijk, also playing out of Centurion, was lying second on 133 following a 70 on the East, with defending champion Haydn Porteous one shot further back on 134 - alongside Swede Anton Karlsson, Wales’ Stuart Manley and England’s Aaron Rai - following a 67 on the West Course.
Because of all the rain delays the second round could not be completed on Friday with American Paul Peterson, who led the first round with a sizzling 62 on the West, one of those players still out on the course although he was two over through 12 on the East so was losing momentum.
Looking pretty, though, was England’s Paul Waring who – after 12 holes on the West – had moved to 12 under for the tournament, one ahead of Fichardt and whether he leads at the halfway mark will be determined early this morning. Also, Dean Burmester – after playing 15 holes on the East – was 11 under for the tournament.
Fichardt, who has five European Tour titles to his name and has won 12 times on the Sunshine Tour, said after his round yesterday that last season, when it came to chipping and putting, had been his worst in his 23 years as a professional. “So I’ve been working really hard on that part of my game and this week I put a new putter in the bag, and adopted a new putting grip and suddenly I’m standing over putts and thinking I’m going to hole every one, and that’s a great feeling.
“Today was tough because the course is playing so long and so wet (after the deluge of rain, all 179mm of it, that has fallen at the club this week) that sometimes you couldn’t even get relief (placing) on the fairways unless you dropped your ball in the rough. So you were hitting some shots off wet fairways, which is tricky, and tip-toeing around the course so you didn’t get your trousers wet.
”I also had to get up at 4 o’clock this morning to get to the club for the planned 6.30 start but we only got away at 9.30 after another delay so, yes, long day, but a pretty good day. Now for some sleep.”
The 24-year-old Kruyswijk, who won the Cape Town Open last November, is growing in confidence as a player and feels he is well-equipped to make a charge in the final two rounds here, while Porteous says he has “found something” in his game after a tough six-month spell of a few too many missed cuts.
“But something clicked in the Maybank Championship in Malaysia earlier this month and I made 14 birdies over the weekend. Now here I’ve gone 36 holes without a bogey and shot two 67s. I’ve kept the ball in play and given myself so many chances. Knowing I won here last year, funnily enough also after a spell of poor play, and also having won here both as a junior and an amateur, obviously helps but at the same time I don’t want to get ahead of myself especially when people remind me that I am the defending champ. I’m just going to take it shot for shot and see what happens.”
Sunshine Tour Order of Merit leader Brandon Stone was six under through 15 holes on the East which moved him to seven under overall, while George Coetzee – one of the pre-tournament favourites – could only manage a disappointing 72 on the West and he is on five under.
5 birdies, 1 eagle. @Darrenfichardt1 signs for a 66 to lead by 2. pic.twitter.com/VlK0485MUh
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 24, 2017