Mexico’s Luis Carrera heads into the weekend in a four-way tie for the lead and hunting his third consecutive victory on the Sunshine Tour in the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions supported by Attacq and WCMC at Royal Johannesburg.
Carrera signed for a 67 on Royal Joburg’s East Course to share the lead on seven under par with Jonathan Broomhead, Pieter Moolman and George Coetzee.
After a difficult first day, Broomhead found his form with a 65 on Friday. Moolman signed for a 67 and Coetzee added a 70 to also be in contention.
They are one stroke clear of Daniel van Tonder and MJ Viljoen.
Carrera has dominated the Sunshine Tour this season having won the Qualifying School in April and followed this up with victories in the first two tournaments in the FBC Zim Open and Kit Kat Cash & Carry Pro-Am.
“A third win in a row would be great, but I’m taking it day by day. My strategy will stay the same for the weekend,” said Carrera, who is loving his first look at the famed East Course and also his debut in this tournament played over a composite nine-hole layout which the golfers play twice.
“I think this is a great golf course. It’s very challenging. You hit a lot of good mid irons. It’s a great competition with all the winners here and there are great names here,” he said.
Broomhead was delighted with his second round as he seeks a victory after finishing second in last week’s Kit Kat Cash & Carry Pro-Am.
“I found it extremely tough in the first round. I felt like we made all the birdies then, but also all of the bogeys. Today I started well and made four in a row in the middle of the round. I hit the ball well and made some good putts,” he said.
Broomhead has also enjoyed the format this week.
“It’s a cool tournament this. I like the course set-up. It forces you to really concentrate because when you play the nine again you can make the mistake of thinking I’ve done this. So you have to focus. I just want to keep the same feelings for the weekend.”
Nadia van der Westhuizen is the leading Sunshine Ladies Tour professional on one under par following her second round of 69.
SCORES
137 - Jonathan Broomhead 72 65, Pieter Moolman 70 67, Luis Carrera 70 67, George Coetzee 67 70
138 - Daniel van Tonder 70 68, MJ Viljoen 67 71
139 - Kieran Vincent 70 69, Ruan Korb 70 69, Jacques Blaauw 69 70
140 - Louis Albertse 71 69
141 - Warwick Purchase 73 68
142 - Jaco Ahlers 73 69, Jean Hugo 70 72, Jbe Kruger 70 72
143 - Luke Jerling 76 67, Nadia van der Westhuizen 74 69, Doug McGuigan 71 72
144 - Nikhil Rama 74 70, Luke Brown 72 72
145 - Gabrielle Venter 75 70, Keenan Davidse 73 72, Michael Hollick 71 74
146 - Cara Gorlei 76 70, Tandi McCallum 74 72, Danielle du Toit 74 72, Nobuhle Dlamini 73 73,
Jake Roos 71 75
147 - Bryan Newman 77 70
149 - Martin Vorster 80 69
150 - Altin van der Merwe 79 71, Logan Leisher 76 74, Jovan Rebula 75 75
152 - Yurav Premlall 77 75
157 - Gia Raad 77 80