Skilled pair take control at ERMP Big Easy

A late charge from Jeff Inglis in Tuesday’s second round saw the Englishman join Ruan de Smidt in pole position atop a crowded leaderboard in the Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour #10 at ERPM Golf Club.

In-form De Smidt carded a five-under-par 67 to move to 10-under, but Inglis matched his clubhouse target with a flawless 65 that featured five birdies and an eagle.

As a thrilling day of action drew to a close in Boksburg, the seasoned campaigners finished one shot clear of Ruan Korb and Peetie van der Merwe.

While Korb blistered the 66 strokes, Van der Merwe took the low round of the day with a blistering eight-under 64 to grab a share of third.

Coert Groenewald managed to stay in touch with a 71 and the overnight leader will start the final round three shots off the pace.

Clinton Grobler (70), Albert Venter (71) and reigning Road to Sunshine Tour leader Malcolm Mitchell (72) are a further shot adrift in joint seventh.

Having lost their playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour, De Smidt and Inglis are hoping to avoid a return trip to Qualifying School by taking advantage of the reward on offer on the Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour.

"At the end of the season, the top six players on the Road to Sunshine Tour ranking will automatically gain playing privileges for the 2020/2021 season. Although I've had some starts this year and I'm in a strong position on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit to regain my card, I'm covering my bets,” said De Smidt. "It's a chance to pass go and it helps to build confidence, playing competitive golf every week."

The 29-year-old Krugersdorp golfer has enjoyed a great run of form since May.

'GET THE PUTTER GOING EARLY ON'

De Smidt banked cheques in four of his last five starts on the Sunshine Tour and rose to 35th in the rankings.

He followed a home victory on the IGT Challenge Tour at the start of August with a runner-up finish in the ninth event on the Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour a fortnight ago.

"I played some good golf at Wingate Park, but I hit a few bad shots and missed a few putts in the final round," he said. "I haven't played at ERPM in more than 10 years, so I didn't remember much about the course and the first nine holes on day one was a bit scrappy. I went five-under on my back nine, though and today I had a great ball striking round.”

The four-time Sunshine Tour winner fired three birdies on the trot from the second, and followed with three more gains on the back nine. The only blemish on his card was a bogey at the par three seventh.

"I hit a good bunker shot close at the second and solid second shot to eight feet on the third. Just a regulation birdie at the par five (fourth), and I holed a few more birdie putts down the back. I was hitting it nice and straight off the tee, which you need to do at this course.

"I am reading and holding the lines well on the greens, but more than a few putts didn't drop and I also didn't hit them close enough. I'm very comfortable being in the lead, and it's nice to be in this position again. I just need to get off to a fast start and get the putter going early on."

Inglis – coming off back-to-back top 10s that has lifted him to 12th in the rankings – was three off the pace at the start of the day after an opening 69.

The Orkney golfer turned four under after an eagle at the par five second and birdies at four and eight and boxed three more birdie putts on the way home.

"After a solid par start, I hit a 5-iron to 30 feet on the second and holed a long putt to just get me off to the perfect start," said the 41-year-old. "I hit a wedge into the fourth and two-putted for birdie and another birdie took me through the turn on four-under.

"The strategy for the back nine was to limit the mistakes and try to finish bogey-free. I almost holed a hook 9-iron on the 12th and had a two-putt birdie on 13, and I held it together nicely. I drove it left on 17, but I hit a great punch-shot on the green and two-putted for the last birdie.

"I had a nice, solid day off the tee. Some half decent putting and the rest of the game was there to back it up. Looking forward to the final round and a good tussle with Ruan."

SECOND ROUND SCORES:(All competitors RSA unless otherwise specified and amateurs indicated as AMA.)

134 - Ruan de Smidt 67 67, Jeff Inglis (ENG) 69 65

135 - Ruan Korb 69 66, Peetie van der Merwe 71 64

137 - Coert Groenewald 66 71

138 - Dayne Moore (ZAM) 70 68

139 - Clinton Grobler 69 70, Malcolm Mitchell 67 72, Albert Venter 68 71

140 - Jason Smith 70 70, Michael Kok 70 70, Gerhard Pepler 72 68

141 - Marthin Scheepers 71 70, Jason Froneman 74 67

142 - Jaco van der Merwe 72 70

143 - Karl Ochse 73 70, Luan Boshoff 73 70, Teboho Sefatsa 72 71, Jason Viljoen 74 69, Zabastian de Jager 70 73, Thanda Mavundla 68 75, Aubrey Beckley 75 68, Eric Nel 74 69, Keaton Slatter 73 70, Marco de Beer 72 71

144 - Michael Pfeifer 75 69, Desne van den Bergh 71 73, Theunis Bezuidenhout 71 73, Brett Liddle 75 69, Ruan Huysamen (NAM) 73 71

Missed the cut:

145 - Matthew Spacey 76 69, Dwayne Basson 74 71, Charles Spencer-White 73 72, Evance Vukeya 74 71, Hanlo Jacobs 72 73

146 - Alpheus Kelapile 76 70, Thabang Simon 75 71, Jason Rossiter 75 71

147 - Keelan Africa 76 71, Allister de Kock 71 76, Makhetha Mazibuko 77 70, John McClean (NIR) 73 74, Hennie O'Kennedy 77 70, Morne Buys 73 74, Darin de Smidt 75 72, Matt Bright 69 78, Xander Basson AMA 74 73

148 - Hendrikus Stoop 71 77, Arno Pretorius 76 72, Quintin Wilsnach 71 77, Romano Saincic 72 76, Jason Roets 74 74, Neal Woernhard (SUI) 79 69

149 - Nicholaus Frade 74 75, Divan Marais 75 74

150 - Clayton Mansfield 75 75, Richard Joubert 79 71, Gideon van der Vyver 73 77, Leon van der Walt AMA 73 77, Mike Maile 80 70, Adriel Poonan 76 74, Ruhan van Dijk 77 73, James Pennington (SWZ) 78 72, Caylum Boon 80 70

151 - Jay Dean Fourie 78 73, DK Kim (KOR) 73 78, Nico du Buisson 75 76, Albert Visser 81 70, Teagan Moore 74 77, Wayne Stroebel 76 75, Reinhardt Blaauw 74 77, Paul Colditz 75 76

152 - Leon Vorster 80 72, Byron Coetzee 72 80, Gareth Sargent 75 77, Bryce Myburgh 83 69, Tristan Eeles 76 76, Beyers Smith AMA 73 79, Liam Labuschagne 78 74, Roedolf Klopper AMA 79 73

154 - Michael Schutz 82 72, Sipho Bujela 85 69, Angus Ellis-Cole 78 76, Jason Diab 77 77, Leon Visser 80 74, Francois Blaauw AMA 77 77

155 - Donovan Pearse 80 75, Jack Duthie 80 75, Keanu Pestana 78 77, Gerard du Plooy 77 78, Carlo Heunis 79 76

156 - Cameron Esau 77 79, Cameron Gurr AMA 79 77, Maritz Wessels 73 83, Mpho Mafishe 76 80, Alwyn Smith 77 79, Wesley du Toit AMA 82 74, James Kamte 78 78, Quintin Crause 76 80, Christian Basson 76 80

157 - Gary Daoust (BEL) 82 75

161 - Maverick Faber (FRA) 82 79, Gerhard Botha AMA 82 79

162 - Shalan Govender 81 81, Byron van der Merwe 83 79

163 - Phumlani Maluka 83 80

165 - Wynand Potgieter 82 83

166 - Jarryd Govender 83 83

167 - Jared Hall AMA 90 77, Jonathan George AMA 86 81

DSQ - Bradley Diggeden DSQ

WDN - Kenneth Dube WDN

RTD - CJ Levey RTD