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Christiaan Bezuidenhout is the best-placed South African, but some way off the pace set by Scottie Scheffler.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout is one of three South Africans to make it to the weekend at the Open. Picture: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Only three South Africans have been left standing after the first two rounds of the 153rd Open Championship being played at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who was joint leader after Thursday’s opening round, is at two-over-par and in a tie for 17th. He followed up his opening 67 with a 73 on Friday.
The two other South Africans to make the halfway cut at the year’s final Major are Dean Burmester, who is tied-34th after two consecutive rounds of 71, even-par, and Thriston Lawrence, who followed up his opening round 73 with a good 70 to be tied 51st on one-over-par.
The leader of the Open is American Scottie Scheffler, who followed up his opening 68 with a brilliant 64 on Friday. His round included eight birdies and one dropped shot, at the par-four 11th, when the rain was at its heaviest during the day.
Cut at halfway
The eight other South Africans who teed off on Thursday failed to make it to the weekend. The cut line was one-over par.
SA Open winner Dylan Naidoo, in his first Major, shot rounds of 74 and 72 to be four-over par.
Shaun Norris shot 72 and 75, to be five-over-par, while young Aldrich Potgieter’s opening 77 cost him badly as he followed that up with a solid 70 on Friday, to be five-over-par in total.
Former Open winner, at St Andrews in 2010, Louis Oosthuizen finished at six-over-par, Darren Fichardt at seven-over-par, Justin Walters at eight-over-par, Daniel van Tonder at 14-over-par and amateur 18-year-old Bryan Newman at 15-over-par.
