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De Jager takes control in Kenya
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De Jager takes control in Kenya

Louis de Jager posted a 66 to maintain his momentum and open up a four shot clubhouse lead on day two of the Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa.

Louis de Jager

The South African entered the second round with a share of the lead and combined seven birdies with two bogeys to jump to 12 under, clear of fellow overnight leader Jack Singh Brar.

Singh Brar's 70 left him at eight under, a shot ahead of India's Gaganjeet Bhullar, South African Justin Harding and Italian Guido Migliozzi.

Scotland's Liam Johnston was then at six under, with those in a tie for seventh seven shots off the lead.

Singh Brar birdied the first to move into the solo lead but then made six pars in a row as De Jager got off to a fast start of his own.

The Qualifying School graduate birdied the tenth, 11th and 13th to reach double figures, with Singh Brar making a gain on the eighth from three feet to be within one as he reached the turn.

Bhullar bogeyed his first hole but made an excellent recovery with birdies on the 11th, 13th and 17th to turn in 34 and then saved par with a long putt on the second.

De Jager made a fourth birdie of the day on the 18th and when Singh Brar bogeyed the 12th, the lead was three shots.

Migliozzi then joined the group in second as he added to birdies on the second, ninth and 12th with a gain on the 14th from nine feet.

Bhullar carried his putting momentum onto the third green and a fourth birdie of the day from 15 feet put him within two of the lead.

De Jager had been making serene progress but he three putted the second green for a first bogey of the day. His response was instant, however, as he put his approach on the next to five feet and rolled home for birdie.

Singh Brar bogeyed the 14th and Migliozzi dropped a shot on the penultimate hole and they were four shots off the lead.

De Jager bogeyed the fifth but stayed two ahead as Bhullar did the same on the sixth, with Singh Brar bouncing back into a share of second with a birdie on the 17th.

The leader hit back again with a birdie on the par five to lead by three and a ragged tee shot from Bhullar on the ninth dropped him back to seven under.

There he found himself alongside the in-from Harding who finished his 65 with four straight birdies.

Last week's winner birdied the 11th but bogeyed the 15th before hitting straight back with two gains. He then took advantage of the sixth, hit smart approaches into the seventh and eighth and when he made the most of the driveable ninth, he was in contention once again.

He was soon five back, though, as De Jager also birdied the ninth for a commanding lead.

Johnston was level par for his round after 12 holes with two birdies and a two bogeys but birdied the par five sixth and then chipped in at the seventh.

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño matched the lowest nine holes of the season with a seven under par 28 in his 66 to sit alongside Aaron Cockerill and Romain Langasque.

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