Meronk opens up a three-shot gap
PROFILE: VICTORY WOULD BE A BOOST FOR POLISH GOLF
Adrian Meronk fired a six-under-par 66 yesterday for a three-shot halfway lead at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek as he bids to become the first Polish winner on the European Tour.
He leads Richard Bland (67) from England and Joachim B. Hansen (64) from Denmark, who last Sunday won the Joburg Open at the start of a three-tournament South African swing on the European Tour circuit.
South African big-hitter Wilco Nienaber, who struck a 439-yard drive during the Johannesburg event, carded a 68 to trail Meronk by eight shots at the Leopard Creek Country Club near the north-eastern town of Malelane.
Meronk, 27, who was born in Germany but moved to Poland when two, had an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys over a course that borders the world renowned Kruger National Park game reserve.
This is his 28th attempt to win a European Tour event, having triumphed on the second-tier European Challenge circuit last year in Portugal.
“If I was to win on the European Tour, it would be huge for golf in Poland,” he said, referring to a minor but growing sport in the east European country.
“Because of the coronavirus pandemic, people have been looking for things to do outdoors and golf has benefitted.”
Hansen, whose win last weekend was his first on the European Tour, stormed into contention with the lowest score of the second round.
The 30-year-old picked up three birdies over the front nine and his inward trek included an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys.
Bland, part of the European Tour for 15 full seasons without a victory, bogeyed the opening hole, then reeled in six birdies.
After a disappointing opening round 71, Nienaber was much steadier second time round with six birdies, and his lone blemish was a double-bogey six at the ninth hole.