Fritz Orren signed for a hard-fought one-under-par 71 round two of the IGT Chase to #10 at Modderfontein Golf Club which saw him tie the first spot with amateur Simon Du Plooy at six-under-par ahead of the final round.
Orren was two shots clear coming into the second round and despite a strong start into the round on Tuesday – he was three-under in his first four holes before a double drop on the par-four seventh – the pressure from the chasing field was persistent.
“It’s just the way sport works,” said Orren, “I think there’s always pressure in any round we play. I just tried to stick to my game plan and commit to every swing I made and that was important for me.”
While the double-bogey on the seventh may have hurt him, Orren steadied himself nicely to make pars on the next two holes before the turn. A birdie on the 10th brought a short-lived sense of joy because it was followed by back-to-back bogeys, placing Orren under some stress as the field chased hard.
“I just needed a few more putts to drop,” said Orren with hindsight, “otherwise, my game is feeling good and I’ll be ready for tomorrow. Of course, there will be pressure tomorrow but that’s why we play sport; to put ourselves in these positions and we learn how to deal with it. So, yes, I will be ready.”
Du Plooy has tasted IGT Tour victory after claiming his emotion-filled maiden title in the Race to Q-School #4 at Wingate Park Country Club in February. Tied for the lead and two shots ahead of the rest, Du Plooy will fancy his chances at a second IGT Tour win. At four-under-par and within a realistic distance of the top spot lies the trio of Vaughn Van Deventer whose eight-under 64 was the lowest round of the day, Herman Loubser and amateur Nikhil Gopal.
Franklin Manchest’s one-over-par round sees him in a share of sixth with amateurs Dylan Melville, Ryan Van Velzen and England’s Harry Konig and they’re at three-under for the week, three shots off the lead. A two-under 70 sees Michael Kok occupying the 10th spot at two-under-par.
By Matthews Mfubu
