Pickering hangs on to Akasia lead

Slade Pickering carded a second-round three-under-par 69 to take his total to 12 under for the week at the Betway Big Easy Tour 4 and pull three shots clear of the field at Akasia Golf Club on Wednesday.

The Peacanwood Golf Estate player was thrilled to top the leaderboard for a second day in a row and will want to replicate the performances he produced in the first 36 holes of this 54-hole event. He admitted to having struggled with his driver off the tee but was solid enough to sign for 69 which consolidated his position atop the leaderboard.

“I struggled a bit with my driver today but I missed in the right spots,” said Pickering. “But, I kept to my game plan and told myself that I needed to keep the ball in play the whole round; hit the fairways, hit the greens and just try always to keep it in play. The pressure will always be there but tomorrow I will do exactly what I did in the first two rounds.”

Pickering’s round consisted of four birdies, an eagle and three drops.

He will be aware of the chasing pack, led by the resurgent Tyrone Ryan. The latter weaved together a scintillating round of 65 to get it to nine-under, placing him second on the leaderboard and within reach of Pickering.

“I played really well again today,” said Ryan after his second round. “The game has been trending in the right direction for a while now. So, I didn’t put myself under pressure and was solid from tee to green. But, I also think a little good fortune at the right times kept the momentum going.”

The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s development circuit which enjoys the support of the great Ernie Els and counts stars such as Christiaan Bezuidenhout among its former Order of Merit winners.

SCORES:

132 - Slade Pickering 63 69

135 - Tyrone Ryan 70 65

137 - Matthew Rushton 69 68, Paul Boshoff 67 70

138 - Tyron Davidowitz 70 68, Graham van der Merwe 69 69

139 - Jastice Mashego 71 68, Kirby Coe-Kirkham 70 69, Joe Knox 73 66

141 - Andrew Williamson 70 71, Christopher Long 71 70

142 - Keelan Africa 70 72, Warwick Purchase 69 73

143 - Trevor Mahoney 71 72, Travis Ladner 74 69, Kayle Wykes 73 70, Xander Basson 71 72, Andrew McLardy 69 74, Jordan Duminy 70 73

144 - Christiaan Pretorius 72 72, Makhetha Mazibuko 73 71, Nicholas Adams 75 69, Jabulane Mabilane 72 72, Eben Spangenberg 72 72, Khanya Mkhize 75 69, Eugene Du Plessis 70 74

145 - Shaydon Johnson 74 71, Ruan de Smidt 73 72

146 - Allister de Kock 72 74, David Amm 74 72, Ryan Tipping 70 76, Irvin Mazibuko 74 72, Henning du Plooy 72 74, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 69 77, Nicholaus Frade 74 72

Missed the cut:-

147 - Kian Coetzer 76 71, Toto Thimba Jnr 73 74, Luke Trocado 78 69, Lyle Pedro 76 71, Carlos Losper 74 73, Louis Liebenberg 78 69, Jacques Van der Merwe 76 71, Letsoso Letsai 72 75, Gerard du Plooy 72 75, Thabiso Ngcobo 73 74

148 - Eric Wowor 74 74, Coert Groenewald 75 73, Dehan Joubert 74 74, Vaughn van Deventer 73 75, Basil Wright Jr 76 72

149 - Steven Le Roux 74 75, Regan Steyn 75 74, Francois Van der Walt 75 74, Richard Joubert 73 76, Jacquin Hess 73 76, Mark Maart 74 75

150 - Philip Geerts 75 75, Cornel Muller 73 77, Lwazi Gqira 77 73

151 - Mike Maile 74 77, Jason Froneman 74 77, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 80 71, Luke Mayo 74 77

152 - Erhard Lambrechts 75 77, Drikus Joubert 76 76, Harry Konig 79 73, Jonathan Williams 75 77

153 - Reece Mc Kain 77 76, Andre Van Dyk 80 73, Dean Ralphs 81 72, Richard Kruger 79 74

154 - Michael Kok 84 70, Slenda Sithebe 78 76, Thabang Simon 74 80

155 - Andre De Decker 78 77, Jaden Deltel 79 76, Ricco Motsa 82 73, Brandon-Jude Rennie 72 83

156 - Sabelo Xolani Majola 80 76, Karabo Mokoena 81 75

158 - Adriel Poonan 77 81, Christian Kriek 79 79

160 - Johan Theron 85 75, Jarryd Govender 80 80, Kael Strydom 82 78

161 - Tiger Adams 80 81

164 - Boeta Nasie 83 81, Umar Davids 84 80

166 - David Masole 83 83

DSQ - Gerhard Trytsman DSQ DSQ