Louis closer to catching Sergio

TOURNAMENT SET FOR THRILLING WEEKEND

Sergio Garcia said he was hoping for a 68 or a 69, but had to settle for a 71 in the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge yesterday, which was still enough to keep the Spaniard in the lead at the halfway stage of the European Tour co-sanctioned event.

Garcia began the second day with a four-shot lead after his brilliant opening-round 64, but four bogeys yesterday saw the two-time champion battle to a one-under-par round, setting up a thrilling pairing today with Louis Oosthuizen, the South African roaring up the leaderboard to second with a five-under-par 67, one stroke behind Garcia.

“It’s always exciting playing with Louis, it’s extra special because he is a friend, an amazing player and a local. I felt I played nicely today but it’s not ideal to see three-putts, but some of the pins were almost impossible,” a phlegmatic Garcia said.

Oosthuizen, having bogeyed the par-four eighth in the first round, double-bogeyed the stroke-one hole yesterday, but had no other dropped shots. He quickly rebounded by making eagle on the 10th hole and he added back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 to complete a good day’s work.

“I started with three birdies in the first four holes, I’m playing good, I hit the ball nicely and I’m rolling the ball well on the greens. But then I all of a sudden didn’t make any putts for a while and on the weekend, I need those putts that just aren’t going in to start going in if I’m going to win,” said Oosthuizen.

Finland’s Mikko Korhonen is alone in third, three shots off the lead, after a two-under-par 70. Dylan Frittelli climbed up into a share of fourth, five shots behind, after an excellent 67, while Darren Fichardt (67) and Branden Grace (71) are both in the group tied for eighth on three-underpar overall, six behind Garcia.