England’s Harry Konig will take a slim one-shot lead into the second round of the second tournament of the Betway Big Easy Tour held at Glenvista Country Club, thanks to an opening 65 on Tuesday.
The Englishman was on the worst side of the first round’s draw as he was among the last group to go out in the afternoon field, at which time the wind was as brutal as can be imagined. He opened his round with an unwanted bogey on the 10th but swiftly recovered with an excellent birdie on the next hole.
A run of three consecutive pars followed by a birdie on 15 before an eagle on the par-five 17th and a birdie on 18 – Konig’s ninth – made their way onto his scorecard. Konig parred his 10th before making another birdie on the second hole of the golf course, his 11th of the round. His joy was short-lived, however, as he dropped another shot, this time on the third.
Konig made further gains when he birdied the par-three fourth and backed it up with another eagle–his second of the day–on the fifth before going on a run of four straight pars to seal an impressive round of seven-under 65 for a one-stroke lead.
“I’m very happy with that round,” Konig confessed.” To be honest, when I was last off today, the wind was pumping. I bogeyed my first hole of the day. I hit a very good shot there, but it just got killed. But I’m chuffed to have played well in these tough conditions.
“I played the par-fives well; two eagles, which was nice, and I made a couple of twos as well. There are four par-fives, and I can reach them all easily, and I took advantage of them today. I was six under for them, so that’s where the majority of my good round came from today, basically.”
Trailing by a mere shot is the duo of Tristan Leonard and last event’s winner Lyke Pedro, who went around this track without dropping a single shot en route to his 66. Ulrich Van Den Berg, winner of the season-opener, which was held at Dainfern Golf Estate, along with Wandre Snyman, Thomas Spreadborough and Bloemfontein Golf Club’s Therion Nel, signed for a 67 to share of fifth.
Local man, Louis Liebenberg, relied on his knowledge of this track as he and Haydn Porteous tied eighth with a score of four-under-par 68.
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:
65 - Harry Konig
66 - Tristan Leonard, Lyle Pedro
67 - Ulrich van den Berg, Wandre Snyman, Thomas Spreadborough, Therion Nel
68 - Louis Liebenberg, Haydn Porteous
69 - Steven Le Roux, James Pennington, Matt Millar, Adam Breen, Tomas Gana, Jacques Van der Merwe, Daniel Cronje, Luke Mayo
70 - Brandon Gildenhuys, Mandla Dlamini Jnr, Sean Howell
71 - David Amm, Ruan Groenewald, Austin Bautista, Musiwalo Nethunzwi, Eric Wowor, Brandon Pieters, Travis Procter, Drikus Joubert
72 - Andrew Williamson, Kian Coetzer, Khanya Mkhize, Karabo Mokoena, Reece Mc Kain, Joe Sullivan, Vaughn van Deventer, Ryan van der Klis, Oliver Goldhill, Richard Joubert, Joe Knox
73 - Thabiso Ngcobo, LB Boshoff, Jordan Duminy, Ryan Fricker, Tawriq Abrahams, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa, Hunter Epson, Jason Froneman, Regan Steyn, Kyle Lucas, Jaden Deltel, Gary Kemp, Marcus Sandile Taylor, Franklin Manchest, Leon Visser, Travis Ladner
74 - Dillon Germshuys, Wade Jacobs, Keelan Africa, Darren Neyt, Jan-Hendrik Nieuwoudt, Matthew Rushton, Luke Joy, Kyle Kistensamy, Nicko Venter, Umar Davids, Johan Theron
75 - Ruben Van Der Berg, Jacquin Hess, Slade Pickering, Caden Sanders, Nyasha Muyambo, Siyanda Mwandla, Mark Maart, Johnathan Ackerman, Richard Kruger, Kael Strydom, Makhetha Mazibuko, Trevor Mahoney, Slenda Sithebe, Tiger Adams
76 - Irvin Mosate wa Mazibuko, Merrick Bremner, Andre De Decker, Michael Kok, Jastice Mashego, Evance Vukeya, Thabang Simon, Austin Cherichella, Philip Geerts, Ronald Rugumayo, Tumelo Molloyi
77 - Sabelo Xolani Majola, Lwazi Gqira, Teboho Sefatsa
78 - Brandon-Jude Rennie, Shaheed Patel, Liam Ross, Jarryd Govender, Austin Mashego, Shaydon Johnson, Alphius Kelapile, Keagan Crosbie
79 - Jabulane Mabilane
80 - John Palm, M-Jay Xaba, Carl Mwale
81 - Ricco Motsa
86 - Nkosikhona Dilla, Chandler Shaw