Red-hot Porteous putter sizzles in Tshwane

RED, white and blue ruled in the first round of the Tshwane Open at Pretoria Country Club yesterday.

South Africa’s Haydn Porteous, armed with a red-hot putter and fancy blue and white shoes, posted a six-under-par 65 to share the lead with Gregory Havret, playing under the banner of the red, white and blue French flag, and Sweden’s Alexander Bjork. No red, white and blue for the Scandinavian but he certainly hit a purple patch with a bogey-free return.

And just behind the leading trio last night giving the tournament a truly international flavour were a handful of players from five different nations – Scotland’s Duncan Stewart, Finn Mikko Korhonen, Australia’s Ben Eccles, England’s Toby Tree and South Africa’s Justin Walters – all on 66.

“I hit a real dark patch on the European Tour last year and started to get negative about myself,” said 22-year-old Porteous, winner of the Joburg Open a year ago.

“But my game seems to be coming back and today was my third straight round without a bogey. I’m regaining my confidence. I’m seeing the lines on the greens and the putts are dropping, and on the tee I feel I can open my shoulders and let rip – and play like a kid again,” said the 22-year-old who, as a junior and amateur was regarded as a boy wonder, reaching No 1 in the rankings.

Like most of the players yesterday, Porteous was impressed with the condition of the course – and the challenge it sets. “I don’t think I’ve seen fairways as good as this in Gauteng for a long time. And, while this is not a particularly long layout, it’s so narrow and the rough is so penal that it’s got some serious teeth.”

Monsieur Havret agreed: “A course doesn’t have to be long to be scary. I’m not a long hitter but I do hit it straight, which is what you need to do here because the rough is very dangerous,” said the Frenchman, a veteran of 17 years on tour, who raced to the turn in just 29 strokes on the par-35 outward loop before playing the back nine in level par figures.

“Today I was also wedging and putting well on an old fashioned-style course that I love.”

Bjork had a similar tale to relate: “I like it when you have to shape your shots and not just bomb it off the tee with the driver. Today I was solid off the tee, stayed well clear of the high rough and hit good irons and rolled it well on the greens.”

Simon Hobday, one of golf’s most colourful characters, has died aged 76, South Africa’s Sunshine Tour announced yesterday.

Hobday won 17 professional events in his career, which started in 1969, including two on the European Tour, and the US Senior Open in 1994.

South African Hobday had a reputation as a carouser, practical joker and raconteur but also as one of the best ball-strikers on the circuit.