Branden Grace is two back heading into the weekend at LIV Golf South Africa as fan favourite Bryson DeChambeau moved two clear on Friday.
It was loud out there.
From the start with a dramatic air show before the shotgun start to Bryson DeChambeau’s chip in eagle on the first. If you could catch your breath, then it was vital as it was a thrill a minute for the duration of the contest.
LIV Golf is different … it happens at 120km/h and it doesn’t stop until it suddenly does. (Of course, then there’s the live music and the dozens of fan activations that continue).
So, how to make sense of another chaotic day … the course remains very getable. Of the top 10 on the leaderboard, Charles Howell III had the “slowest” day and he fired a -3 round.
The man to catch is DeChambeau, who’s only blemish was a wedge that didn’t find the green in regulation at the 17th. He still made par and then tapped in a birdie for a -6 day which moved him to -14 with the weekend to play.
Second with Grace is David Puig on 12 with Dean Burmester in the group at -11 that includes Howell III, Jon Rahm and Abraham Ancer.
A word on Burmester, who donned the new Bafana Bafana jersey, and then nearly aced the 17th. He’s buzzing with the home support and can’t put a foot wrong. He appears to be enjoying playing to the crowd and enjoying the benefits of their chorus of applause.
And so is Grace.
The pair continue to describe their time at this special event as the best days they’ve had on the course. And they’ve had some of the very best.
Warned by Louis Oosthuizen to be wary of teeing off the first with the large crowd cheering their home favourite, Grace admitted the warning doesn’t quite match just how loud and how special it was.
Grace continues to thrive on the local conditions and is ready to keep his excellent standard up through the weekend.
The pair are part and parcel for many of the loud cheers and they are leading their Southern Guards teammates with their shot-making. But they have their work cut out for them as Torque GC moved two clear at the top of the team standings.
If the first two days were the “warm up”, expect brilliance at every turn on Saturday and Sunday. And enjoy the noise if you are attending in person.
Photo: Charles Laberge/LIV Golf
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