It promises to be another fascinating weekend of golf.
Casey Jarvis is back in the hunt at the Open after a solid 67 Friday. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Five South Africans have made it to the weekend of the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale in England.
The other three players who teed it up in the first two rounds of the oldest Major failed to make the halfway cut.
Leading the way after two rounds is Australian Lucas Herbert, who at one stage on Friday was looking at going under 60 for his round. But a little stumble late on saw him shoot a Major low round equalling 62, which included six birdies on a front nine of 28 and a further three birdies and one bogey (at 18) on his back nine.
He shot an even-par 70 in his first round, leaving him on a total of eight-under, and leader by two.
American Bryson DeChambeau, who recorded a 66 on Friday to go with an opening 67 to get into second place alone, was later penalised two strokes on the par-four fifth hole, after he was deemed to have trampled down grass to improve his backswing.
His bogey turned into a triple. He thus shot 68, and dropped down to a tie for fifth place on five-under-par.
Three players are six-under-par and tied second, including Cameron Young, while lurking at four-under-par, four back are the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm. Rory McIlroy is one-under-par.
SA golfers
The best-placed of the South Africans after two rounds are Shaun Norris, Hennie du Plessis and MJ Daffue, who are one-under-par, seven shots off the lead. They are tied 38th.
Veteran journeyman Norris had a good round going on Friday and was four-under-par after 12 holes, but he bogeyed four holes coming in to shoot a 70, to go with his first round 69.
Du Plessis shot 69 to go with an opening 70. He made four birdies and three bogeys Friday.
Daffue was heading for the cut halfway through his round, but a great finish which included three birdies in his last five holes saw him shoot 72, to go with a 67, to make it to the weekend.
Casey Jarvis, the current SA Open champion, got himself back in the mix after an excellent three-under-par 67 on Friday, to be level par, after an opening 73. he made four birdies Friday and one bogey. He’s tied 52nd.
The only other South African to make the cut was Aldrich Potgieter, the last man into the field, after he replaced the injured Louis Oosthuizen.
Potgieter produced a sensational finish to his second round on Friday to be one-over-par, nine shots off the lead. Though he recorded a second round 72, two-over-par, an eagle three at the 17th and a long par save at 18 ensured he made the cut by a stroke. he shot a 69 in round one. He’s tied 67th.
Jayden Schaper, with rounds of 70 and 72, for a two-over-par total, just missed out.
Michael Hollick (72 and 72 for four-over-par) and amateur Jack Buchanan (73 and 72 for five-over-par) also missed out.
