Oosthuizen grabs one shot lead
WORLD number six Louis Oosthuizen sunk two sensational birdies on the two final holes to seize a one-shot lead over Thai Thongchai Jaidee at the end of the second round of the Volvo Golf Champions yesterday.
The day was characterised by a three-way tussle for the lead, which included Scotsman Scott Jamieson.
Oosthuizen looked like he would kick himself after missing an easy birdie shot on the par-four 16th and trailed Jaidee and Jamieson by a single shot going into the final two holes.
The 30-year-old didn’t drop a shot all day but he’d be mostly proud of the 20-foot birdie putt on the third that applied pressure on Jaidee.
Then, as his playing partner Jaidee failed to hold his nerve, the 2010 British Open winner countered on the final two holes, with the weather, which had poured all day, allowing him 30 minutes of rainfree time. Oosthuizen fired a round of eight-under 64, which put him a shot in the lead at twelve under overall.
Jamieson, who won the inaugural Nelson Mandela Championship in December and who finished third at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, had a near flawless round, firing nine birdies and only dropping one shot, on the treacherous par-four 11th.
The lead changed hands constantly between the trio with the only constant at the Durban Country Club being the monotonous rain. The wind stayed away.
Four-time major winner, Ernie Els wasn’t too far off the lead, finishing on par for the round, meaning he remained four-under overall.
Branden Grace clawed his way to one-under after carding a five-under 67 for the second round.
Though the defending champion’s form improved on the second day, the 10 shot deficit makes it unlikely he’ll retain the title he won in a sensational playoff against Retief Goosen and Els last year.
Goosen, Darren Fichardt and Jbe Kruger’s challenges also faded on day two but, as the tournament does not have a halfway cut, will have the agony of playing the next two rounds with little hope of challenging for the estimated R4-million winner’s cheque.