Kayle Wykes carded a low six-under-par 66 in the second round of the Betway Big Easy Tour #4 on Wednesday, taking his total to eight-under, placing him in a share of the lead ahead of the final round at Benoni Country Club.
Playing alongside overnight leader, Jacquin Hess, whose second-round 70 was enough to see him maintain his place at the summit of the leaderboard, Wykes showed maturity of a seasoned veteran in the face of cold and windy conditions in Benoni.
Starting his round from the 10th, Wykes made an eagle and a brace of birdies to turn in 32 and bogey-free. After the turn, Wykes added birdies on the first, third and fifth – his 10th, 12th and 14th holes of the round. However, his joy would be cut short as he dropped on two consecutive holes – six and seven. He shrugged those off with a magnificent birdie on the last for a round of 66.
“I don’t know who set up the course, but it was really tough today,” noted Wykes. “With every shot, you really had to think about where you’re going to put it; you couldn’t just think ‘I’m going to put this close’. You had to pick which side you’re going to put it on to have uphill putts. The pins were really brutal today.
“But I thought I scrambled a good round together; made a lot of putts but also missed a few because the flags were so difficult. I also tried to keep it under the wind as well, and I think that helped me out.”
Co-leading by a single stroke and in with a real chance at glory this week, Wykes is aware of the challenge that lies ahead.
“I am a little bit nervous but that’s what you have to accept,” he said of the final round. “All I have to do is to commit myself; this course forces you to commit to every shot, otherwise you’re in the bush or the trees or somewhere.
"So, you just pick your line and commit. But I am also excited to be in the final group and challenging.”
Australia’s Austin Bautista was able to weave together a round of 71 to take solo third on seven-under for the week, while State Mines Country Club’s Vaughn Van Deventer’s 67 catapulted him to fourth on the leaderboard.
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
136 - Jacquin Hess 66 70, Kayle Wykes 70 66
137 - Austin Bautista 66 71
139 - Vaughn van Deventer 72 67
140 - Jordan Duminy 69 71
141 - Thanda Mavundla 72 69, Pearce Lewin 70 71
142 - Joe Sullivan 76 66
143 - Richard Joubert 73 70, Toto Thimba Jnr 73 70, Ryan Tipping 71 72, Ryan van der Klis 69 74, Sentanio Minnie 71 72
144 - Ryan Fricker 72 72, Jaden Deltel 72 72, Matt Millar 73 71, James Pennington 71 73, Tiger Adams 72 72, Louis Liebenberg 73 71
145 - Daniel Cronje 74 71, Jacques Van der Merwe 68 77, Khanya Mkhize 70 75, Haydn Porteous 72 73, Austin Cherichella 74 71
146 - Umar Davids 73 73, Tyrone Ryan 72 74, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 70 76, Thabiso Ngcobo 73 73, Slenda Sithebe 73 73, LB Boshoff 78 68, Travis Procter 72 74, Peter Karmis 72 74, Teboho Sefatsa 75 71
Missed the cut:-
147 - Leon Visser 70 77, Allister de Kock 74 73, Slade Pickering 72 75, Jeré Brits 73 74, Gary Kemp 74 73, Franklin Manchest 71 76, Reece Mc Kain 69 78, Wade Jacobs 76 71
148 - Karabo Mokoena 71 77, Lyle Pedro 75 73, John-George Pringle 73 75, Bradley De Beer 68 80, Logan Leisher 70 78, Steven Le Roux 71 77, Brandon-Jude Rennie 78 70
149 - Jabulane Mabilane 72 77, Jason Froneman 74 75, Thomas Spreadborough 74 75, Dillon Germshuys 76 73, Jason Broomhead 76 73, Trevor Mahoney 73 76, Andrew Williamson 73 76, Brandon Gildenhuys 75 74
150 - Lwazi Gqira 77 73, Liam Ross 74 76, Matthew Rushton 76 74, Warwick Purchase 74 76, Johnathan Ackerman 76 74, Tumelo Molloyi 77 73, Therion Nel 74 76, Jastice Mashego 76 74, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 73 77, Albert Venter 77 73, Marcus Sandile Taylor 77 73
151 - Behn Heyns 76 75, Hayden Garcia 74 77, Drikus Joubert 76 75
152 - Bernhard Koster 76 76, Eric Wowor 78 74, Brandon Pieters 71 81, Ruben Van Der Berg 76 76, Harry Konig 77 75, David Amm 76 76
154 - Evance Vukeya 74 80, Andre De Decker 76 78, Kyle Kistensamy 79 75, Philip Geerts 77 77, Amilkar Bhana 78 76, Caden Sanders 77 77, Keanu Pestana 77 77, Thabang Simon 78 76
156 - Ace Andile Adam 77 79, Christopher Long 80 76, Kael Strydom 78 78
157 - Tawriq Abrahams 82 75
158 - Shaheed Patel 79 79, Travis Ladner 77 81, Alphius Kelapile 81 77, Mandla Dlamini Jnr 76 82
159 - M-Jay Xaba 81 78
160 - Carl Mwale 78 82, Keelan Africa 80 80
161 - Matthew Dennis 80 81
162 - John Palm 79 83
163 - Shaunak Rama 83 80, Mark Maart 82 81
166 - Austin Mashego 77 89
WDN - Makhetha Mazibuko 77 WDN, Richard Kruger 86 WDN, Jarryd Govender RTD RTD, Irvin Mosate wa Mazibuko 81 RTD, Ronald Rugumayo 73 RTD