Jacques van der Merwe will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the fifth Betway Big Easy Tour tournament after carding a second-round seven-under 63 at CMR Golf Club to reach 12 under par.
On Wednesday, Van der Merwe underlined his form with a sparkling round featuring nine birdies and two bogeys. Now within reach of a breakthrough win on the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit, the leader remains focused on execution rather than results.
“I don’t really care about the position that much,” he said. “I enjoy this course, and I just want to go out and give it another shot. I want to focus on my processes – achieve the goals I have control over – and the rest will happen.”
Blustery conditions tested the field, with wind picking up early in the round. Van der Merwe embraced the challenge and rose to the top of the leaderboard.
“It was basically the same as yesterday,” he said of the conditions in Roodepoort. “I just controlled what I could and let the rest happen. I can’t get angry if I do all the process work well, which I did today. I stuck to that on every single shot and every hole, and it worked out well.
“The conditions were tough, but I enjoyed it. I handled it well, stuck to my plan, made a few nice putts, and walked off with a really nice score – so I’m happy with my round.”
Van der Merwe will aim to replicate his opening 36 holes, though lurking close behind is Kimberley Golf Club’s Bradley de Beer, whose second-round 64 vaulted him into solo second on nine under par.
A resurgent Haydn Porteous enters the final round of this 54-hole event four shots back after back-to-back 66s took him to eight under.
Regan Steyn, Leon Visser, Liam Ross, Richard Joubert and Joe Sullivan are tied fourth at six under, while Daniel Cronje, Khanya Mkhize, Drikus Joubert and Johnathan Ackerman share ninth at five under for the week.
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Photo: Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour
Article Link: Van der Merwe pulls three shots clear at CMR