Els moves two ahead in SA Open

Ernie Els fired a second consecutive 65 to take a two-shot lead Saturday after two rounds of the one-million-euro South African Open.

The ‘Big Easy’ has a halfway total of 130 over the par-72, 6157-metre Durban Country Club layout as he seeks a fifth victory in the second oldest national golf championship after the British Open. Fellow South African Retief Goosen, who shared the first-round lead with German Alexander Cejka in the rain-delayed event, lies on 132 with European Tour debutant Romain Wattel from France carding a 66 to be a shot further back.

South Africans Charl Schwartzel (69) and reigning British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen (67) share fourth on 134, 10 under over an undulating course full of tight fairways and greens recently replanted with a Bermuda grass.

Czech Republic-born Cejka faded to a 72 to be six off the pace and among those who failed to make the cut ahead of the third and final rounds Sunday was title holder Richie Ramsay from Scotland, whose 74 left him one over. Diminutive South African Tim Clark, pre-tournament favourite after winning the last two editions of the national championship staged in Durban, carded a 67 to be among a nine-strong group on seven under. Els, whose three Major victories and popularity in South Africa makes him the major drawcard.

AFP