The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Lombard’s turning up heat in Sun City surge
Two Scots on rocks at final hole with quadruple bogeys
South African Zander Lombard will take a two-shot lead into the third round on home soil in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City.
Lombard, the joint winner of the European Tour’s Qualifying School last year, has been in good form and he carded a 65 to make it to 11 under par.
The 24-year-old began his round with a bogey but was flawless thereafter, making six birdies and an eagle at the par-5 10th.
“It was all positives and I really enjoyed it today,” Lombard said afterwards.
“We were just fighting for a birdie every hole, not looking at the leaderboard or figuring out if we were going to just make par. I was being aggressive and being positive and it went my way today.”
Lombard is two shots clear of his countryman and first-round leader Louis Oosthuizen who, after his remarkable 63 on Thursday, had to settle for a level-par round of 72.
The former Open winner was in hospital on Wednesday with kidney stones and admitted to feeling the effects.
He said: “I was definitely more fatigued today, especially the last six, seven holes. The tee shot on the 14th, I hit it on the right side. I think it was more muscle-related than anything else.
“The stones have passed. I just need to get some rest and play good tomorrow.”
Belgian Thomas Detry is a further two shots back while Tommy Fleetwood is tied for fourth on six under with Swede Marcus Kinhult.
Matt Fitzpatrick and Lee Westwood are four and three under respectively.
Fleetwood said: “It’s a tough golf course and you’re always not that bad of a golf shot away from being stuck in serious trouble. You’ve just got to stay on it.
“Generally, I feel like I can do well as I love this place and I love the week.
“I think it’s got a great atmosphere. I like teeing off on this golf course.
“I feel like there’s a lot of holes where you have to just make sure you free yourself up.”
Glasgow’s Scott Jamieson is the leading Scot at the halfway stage after rounds of 73 and 71 to sit tied 29th on level par.
But Aberdeen’s Richie Ramsay and Oban’s Robert MacIntyre both suffered painful finishes on their final hole of the day.
The pair, who had started on the 10th, both finished with a quadruple bogey nine on the ninth to fall down the leaderboard.
MacIntyre is tied 50th on five over par after rounds of 73 and 76 with Ramsay one shot further back after a second round of 78.
The Aberdonian is tied 58th in the 63-man field.