Everything you need to know from day two at Randpark Golf Club.
Tapio took the lead, Schaper shone again and there was a very special delivery on day two of the South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg.
Here is everything you need to know from Friday at Randpark Golf Club.
Pulkkanen powers into the lead
It was a day of nip and tuck in Johannesburg with seven players sharing the lead at one point in the afternoon. The man to break out of the pack was Finn Tapio Pulkkanen, who combined two birdies with some excellent scrambling on the back nine to sign for a bogey free 66 and get to 11 under. "It was a really good round, it was a lot of grinding," he said. "I started well and made three birdies in six holes. After that I didn't hit many fairways and had to grind for pars."
He has five players just one shot behind him including...
Schaper continues to shine
On day one, amateur Jayden Trey Schaper raised a few eyebrows as he matched playing partner Louis Oosthuizen. On day two he went two shots better than the 2010 Open Champion to get to ten under. No amateur has won this event since 1959 but Schaper looks to be taking it all in his stride. "I'm just going to take it one shot at a time and see what happens," he said. "If the opportunity comes I'll grab it with both hands and try my best to take it. I've put myself in these positions before with amateur golf. It's the same golf course, the same 14 clubs in the bag, the same shots, there's just a few more people walking around watching."
EVR needs to RSVP
Erik van Rooyen birdied two of his last three holes to make the cut right on the mark but that was not the only thing he had to celebrate on Friday night. On Friday morning the postman (not birthday boy Ian Poulter) brought him a very special delivery. Augusta National here we come.
Delivery in the Players’ Lounge this morning 📬#SAOpen pic.twitter.com/QVd3s2q7sK
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) January 10, 2020
Paisley close to perfection
The 2018 champion Chris Paisley must have been pretty excited when he saw this one rolling towards the cup - so, so close.
Start 'em young
Could we be looking at a future South African Open champion here? He didn't spit his dummy out, which is what a few of us here at European Tour HQ end up doing when we're playing. Keep trying young man!
