NATIONAL NEWS - Tshwane teenager Estiaan Conradie fired a seven-under-par 65 at Centurion Country Club to lead the Centurion Challenge by two shots at 11 under 133.
The 18-year-old Wingate Park player, bidding to become the first double winner on the 2016 IGT Tour, opened with a 68 to start the second round on Tuesday two shots behind overnight leader Teagan Moore. He offset a lone bogey with eight birdies to move into pole position.
Meanwhile Moore returned a 70, but had to settle for third on eight under after fellow amateur Etienne Janse van Rensburg edged into second with a 68.
Conradie is in a challenging position to add to his maiden win in the season-opening Wingate Park Open, but his title bid could come under pressure from rookie professional Matthew Spacey in Wednesday’s final round.
The former top ranked amateur mixed an eagle at the par five 15th with seven birdies for a flawless nine-under-par 63 that rocketed within four shots of the lead. He shares fourth at seven under 137 with second year pro NJ Arnoldi, who signed for a 70.
“Matthew set the course on fire, so I will be on my toes tomorrow,” Conradie said. “I played really solid golf and the bogey at the second didn’t bother me. I hit a wayward drive and got punished for it.
“I stuck to my game plan and I took advantage where I hoped to; the only real let-down of the round was the four-footer for birdie I missed at the first par five on the back nine. The rest of the day was solid. For the greater part of the round, the putter was hot and I holed some really long birdie putts at eight and 17. I’m hitting good fairway shots and I’m just staying out of trouble. The key will be to stay strong mentally and not let anything get into my head.”
Conradie matriculated last year. He is splitting his time between the country’s premier development Tour and the national amateur circuit while he figures out what he wants to do.
“I don’t know if I will go the college route or if I will go to the Sunshine Tour’s Qualifying School at the end of the season,” he said.
SECOND ROUND SCORES
All competitors RSA unless otherwise specified and amateurs are indicated as AMA
133 - Estiaan Conradie AMA 68 65
135 - Etienne J van Rensburg AMA 67 68
136 - Teagan Moore AMA 66 70
137 - NJ Arnoldi 67 70, Matthew Spacey 74 63
138 - John McClean (NIR) 69 69, Ruan Conradie AMA 67 71, Hilton Hughes AMA 68 70, Anton Haig 72 66, Louis Taylor 67 71
139 - Michael Schutz AMA 71 68
141 - Ruan Korb AMA 70 71, TJ Bekker 71 70
142 - Tom Watson AMA 74 68, Bryce Myburgh 72 70, Damian Naicker 70 72, Ludovic Bax de Keating (MUS) 72 70
143 - Carrie Park 74 69, Marco de Beer AMA 67 76, Quintin Crause AMA 74 69, Jonathan Waschefort 73 70, David Ashley (ENG) 73 70
144 - Brendan Britten (NAM) 72 72
145 - Gerard du Plooy 73 72, Fanie Wolmarans AMA 73 72, Coert Groenewald 72 73
146 - Mike Maile 76 70, Dylan Kok AMA 74 72
147 - Dylan de Beer 77 70, Christopher van der Merwe AMA 75 72, Jason Ackerman AMA 75 72, Shaun van Tonder 78 69, Hendrikus Stoop AMA 71 76, Eric Nel AMA 72 75
148 - Wayne du Toit 75 73, Christo Hattingh 72 76, Burger Heckroodt 76 72, Divan Marais 72 76
149 - Igor Milicic (SRB) 72 77, Estiaan de Jager AMA 76 73
150 - Terence Mogapi 76 74
151 - Dwayne Coetzee 81 70
152 - Jaco van der Merwe AMA 77 75, Ruhan van Dijk AMA 78 74, Stephan Erasmus AMA 79 73, Gary Daoust AMA (BEL) 77 75
154 - Pedro August 79 75
155 - Jacques de Villiers AMA 81 74, Amerigo Renieri AMA 78 77
157 - Jordan Parsons AMA 83 74, Jabu Radebe 78 79, Liam Bezuidenhout AMA 81 76
Missed the cut:-
159 - Etzard Grimbeek AMA 84 75, Mae Cornforth 84 75, Tommie Brits AMA 79 80, Christopher de Beer AMA 83 76
160 - Daniel Joubert AMA 84 76, Sam Metcalfe AMA 76 84, Jabulane Mabilane 80 80
161 - Michael Petersen 82 79
164 - Nicklas Van Wyk AMA 77 87, Tristan Nel AMA 81 83
166 - Leon Visser AMA 83 83, Morne van der Waltsleben AMA 82 84
168 - Charles Grobler AMA 85 83
172 - Reinard Schuhknect AMA 88 84
173 - WM Coetzee AMA 92 81
175 - Wesley Maddocks AMA 88 87
176 - Roelof Van Tonder AMA 90 86
N/R - Duan Nagel AMA 80 N/R
ARTICLE: LALI STANDER
