EASY GOING FOR ON FORM HARDING

JUSTIN HARDING is one of the more consistent performers among the younger players on the international circuit.

After being given the opportunity to play on the Asian Tour he worked on his game, his conduct and attitude which has paid dividends. Harding claims he decided he wanted to succeed as a professional golfer.

Gone are days of parties and boozing. He is seriously into his golf and has one thing on his mind – to earn a full status European Tour card.

He has playing privileges on the Asian Tour – in his first tournament there last year he won the Bank BRI Indonesian Open in July and a week later won the Royal Cup.

Over the past year he established himself as one of the better players to emerge out of South Africa.

“All I want is to do well on the European Tour where I have limited status. I know I’m playing well but winning a tournament will help in a massive way for me to eventually get a card with full privileges,” he said before he headed off to Australia where he played in the Beach Golf Links, finishing fourth.

“I’ve had some good results in the past few weeks and I’ve got to continue in the same manner to eventually get to where I want to be – the European Tour.”

In the last few weeks Harding, who hails from Stellenbosch, finished tied for eighth at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, 11th at the inaugural Saudi International and in his first foray into Australia he ended fourth.

Harding has been working his way through the World Golf Rankings. When he started at the Dubai Desert Classic he was in 80th place and with his tied 11th finish at Saudi he moved into 73rd on the list.

His outstanding finish in Australia helped him move to No 65 – ahead of South Africa’s established professional Charl Schwartzel, who sits at No 97 on the list.

This week Harding will move to Perth where the ISPS Handa World Super 6s will be held, and another good showing could see him move closer to a ranking which could see him get into the US Masters at Augusta.

■ WHILE it is still early in the year to judge, it seems Zander Lombard is returning to the form which had pundits label him the next big star after he burst onto the scene with a second-place finish to Haydn Porteous at the 2015 Joburg Open.

Indifferent results on the European Tour characterised his young career, and following yet another not-so-solid season last year, Lombard had to fight for his playing card on that tour’s qualifying school.

Of the 29 tournaments he played there, he made the cut seven times. He retained his card as he finished second in the final stage at Lumine.

His last five European Tour events, however, have delivered him two top 20 finishes while missing the cut once. He has played five tournaments on the Sunshine Tour – excluding last week’s RAM Cape Town Open where he finished second – and boasts a win, two top 10 finishes and a top 15 spot, while missing one cut.

“It has been a real grinding year,” he said after his third-round 69 in Cape Town. “As you know, my results have not been up to scratch but I did not think too much of it, because I knew that I was working on the right stuff. It is nice when it kicks in sometimes and I have a great team behind me. It is not that I started practising yesterday. This is all the year’s work, plus I have got a lovely girlfriend, lovely family and amazing coaches who support me.”