That’s just fine, Finn
Birdie blitz sends Pulkkanen into lead in Johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG: Finn Tapio Pulkkanen wore a hat rather than the standard cap as his second-round birdie blitz produced a 64 and a one-stroke lead halfway through the Joburg Open.
Indian Shubhankar Sharma recorded a 10-birdie 61 – the lowest round of the day over two Randpark Golf Club courses – to lie second in cool, overcast Johannesburg.
Pulkkanen is on 14-under overall after rounds of 65 and 64 with Sharma one shot back thanks to rounds of 69 and 61 in a tournament using two courses for the first two rounds.
Ranked 197 in the world, Pulkkanen made a superb start over the tougher, par-72 Firethorn layout by claiming six consecutive birdies.
The 27-year-old parred the following four holes in an event tri-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and South African Sunshine Tour.
Birdies at the 11th and 12th holes took him to eight-under for the day and he parred the remaining six holes.
The typical dress code for professional golfers includes a cap, but Pulkkanen cut a dashing figure in a light grey hat with a dark grey band.
“That was an awesome start,” said the Finn, referring to the birdie blitz that helped propel him to first place.
“I actually birdied five of those same holes in the practice round,” added the winner of the second-tier Challenge Tour’s Road to Oman last season.
Sharma played the easier Bushwillow course in the second round and rattled off five birdies over each nine for the lowest round so far this week.
The 21-year-old, who tied for 27th at the Mauritius Open last weekend, excelled at the par threes, collecting birdies on all four.
“It was great,” beamed Sharma.
“I could not have done better. I made pretty much everything I looked at.
“I hit the ball pretty decently and made a few key up-and-down twos. I could not have asked for a better round.”
Another Finn, Mikko Korhonen, shot a 65 and South African Erik van Rooyen a 67 to share third place on 131.
English duo Steven Brown (65) and Daniel Brooks (67) and Dane Joachim Hansen (67) are two shots further back.
South Africa has produced eight
of the 11 Joburg Open champions, but the leaderboard is dominated by foreigners entering the weekend with Van Rooyen the lone local among the top 10.
With a freak finger injury ruling out favourite and Major winner Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, many locals believed Mauritius Open winner Dylan Frittelli could triumph again.
However, after a disappointing first-round 70, Frittelli improved by only one shot on Friday to lie 10 strokes behind Pulkkanen with two rounds remaining. After a five-birdie front nine, twice European Tour winner Frittelli bogeyed four holes, leaving him needing a low third-round score to get back into contention.
First- round leader Keenan Davidse of South Africa failed to maintain the hot form that delivered a 63 on Thursday and his second-round 74 included two frontnine double bogeys.
Defending champion Darren Fichardt of South Africa fired a 67 after his opening-round 75, leaving him 13 strokes off the lead.