Jaco Ahlers backed up his opening-day 64 with another six-under-par score on Thursday in the second round of the SunBet Challenge hosted by Wild Coast Sun, once again conquering the blustery conditions with barely a hiccup as he stretched his advantage at the top of the leaderboard.
Ahlers only dropped a single shot on Thursday, at the par-three 17th, but he collected five birdies and an eagle on the par-five 16th in his second-round 64 that took him to 12-under-par, four ahead of Keegan McLachlan going into the final round on Friday.
Ahlers started his round on the 10th on Thursday and was cruising from the outset with two birdies in the first three holes. He again did the bulk of his scoring on the back nine, going out in 31, and his bogey-free front nine featured birdies on the two par-fives – the third and the seventh holes.
“I’m pretty chuffed because it was a bit windy today. The greens on the back nine are a bit better, less bumpy, so I was able to roll the ball better and make more putts there,” Ahlers said.
“I missed a few putts coming in, I was a bit cautious on the greens and left a few short. But overall I didn’t miss many greens today and that’s the key at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club, to give yourself opportunities. I will just keep doing what I’m doing: hit the greens and hopefully make a few putts. I play the course as it is because I’m not the longest hitter and I can’t overpower it,” Ahlers said.
The 11-time winner on the Sunshine Tour enjoyed a bit of fortune for his eagle on the 16th. Having tugged his tee-shot a bit on the 492m par-five, it rode the wind and lay in the semi-rough.
“I got a bit lucky,” Ahlers admitted. “That hole was downwind today and I only had 110 to the flag, I hit it to 10 feet and made the putt. Which I was very pleased about because everyone is going to score on that hole today.”
Trevor Mahoney, who shot 65 in the first round to be second, one stroke behind Ahlers, saw his hopes die an ugly death on the par-five 12th as he posted a 10, on his way to a 78 and missing the cut by just one stroke.
McLachlan is now second after shooting a 66, also with just one bogey, on Thursday.
Gerhard Pepler is one stroke further back after a never-say-die 66, in which he bounced back from a double-bogey on the 12th by collecting birdies on the 14th, 15th and 18th holes.
Brandon Stone is in fourth place, seven strokes behind Ahlers after a second-round 67, but the leader will be anxious about Stone’s ability to go really low in the final round of events.