A sparkling back nine of six-under-par 29 helped Mark Maart sign for a low seven-under 64, two shots clear of Kian Rose at Reading Country Club, where the sixth tournament of the Betway Big Easy Tour is being played.
Maart started off brightly in Alberton, going four-under in his first four holes, thanks to back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes. A bogey on the par-three seventh visited Maart’s card, threatening to derail his early progress. He held his nerve to walk away with important pars on eight and nine.
After the turn, Maart looked to have found something. He parred the 10th, then made a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th through 13th. He was not done yet, as he holed out for eagle on the par-four 17th before sealing his round with a birdie on 18.
“I just wanted to get the game going,” said Maart, who is a member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class. “I had a solid game plan today, and I stuck to the game plan. I made a few good putts today; I hit a few good shots also. Ultimately, it all just came together today.
“A round like this is a good boost. We don’t always get a round like this, so it’s a big confidence-booster going into tomorrow. And, my caddie was great today. He gave me a little pep-talk there on the final three holes, like ‘hey, you need to stop talking now and focus. So, it was a good round of golf today.”
With only a slim two-stroke margin separating him from Rose, who was just as solid on Tuesday, Maark knows not to get ahead of himself.
“I’m going to have an early night tonight,” he said of his plan going into the penultimate round of this 54-hole event. “Then, I just want to come out again with the same game plan tomorrow and whatever happens, happens.”
Rose’s five-under 66 not only earned him the second spot on the leaderboard, but it was also the second-lowest score on day one, after Maart’s 64. Other than the unwanted triple-bogey he made on the par-three 15th, Rose was just as solid on Tuesday.
Joe Sullivan, who leads the current Order of Merit standings, Jason Froneman and Leon Visser share the third spot on three-under.
The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit and enjoys the support of the legendary Ernie Els, among other patrons.
Scores
64 - Mark Maart
66 - Kian Rose
68 - Joe Sullivan, Jason Froneman, Leon Visser
69 - Daniel Cronje, Ulrich van den Berg, Bradley De Beer, Steven Le Roux, Jacques Van der Merwe, Tiago Jorge Swart, Brandon-Jude Rennie, Philip Geerts, Matthew Rushton, Andrew Williamson
70 - Hayden Garcia, Andrew McLardy, Adam Breen, Shaunak Rama, Regan Steyn, Therion Nel, John Bele, Matt Millar
71 - Brandon Gildenhuys, Thabang Simon, Liam Ross, Austin Cherichella, David Amm, Reece Mc Kain
72 - Sean Howell, Andre Van Zyl, Brandon Pieters, Lyle Pedro, Khaya Jika, Gary Kemp, Richard Joubert, Jaden Deltel, Matthew Dennis, Jonathan Ackerman, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa
73 - Jabulane Mabilane, Keagan Crosbie, Hunter Walker, Travis Procter, Vaughn van Deventer, Drikus Joubert, Travis Ladner, Tumelo Molloyi
74 - Wade Jacobs, Louis Liebenberg, Dillon Germshuys, Khanya Mkhize, Oliver Goldhill, Harry Konig
75 - Kyle Lucas, Richard Kruger, LB Boshoff, Haydn Porteous, Jastice Mashego, Chandler Shaw
76 - Teboho Sefatsa, James Pennington, Matthew Bennett, Hannes Strooh, Richard Shi
77 - Sabelo Xolani Majola, Keelan Africa
78 - John Palm, Alphius Kelapile, Irvin Mosate wa Mazibuko, Mandla Dlamini Jnr, Tiger Adams
79 - Francois van Staden, Shaheed Patel, Ace Andile Adam, Carl Mwale
80 - Austin Mashego, Wandre Snyman, Kael Strydom, Kian Coetzer
81 - Jarryd Govender, Tawriq Abrahams, Janko van der Merwe
82 - M-Jay Xaba, Slenda Sithebe
83 - Umar Davids, Lwazi Gqira
84 - Kyle Kistensamy
86 - Robert Mavundla
RTD - Ricco Motsa