It was a little tougher for Christiaan Burke on Tuesday in the second round of the Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour’s Chase to the Sunshine Tour #30 at Modderfontein Golf Club, but at the end of the round, he held a four-stroke lead ahead of the final day.
He made and eagle, two birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey to ensure he leads fellow-amateurs Kyle de Beer and Casey Jarvis after 36 holes. De Beer carded a two-over 74, and Jarvis a two-under 70, while professional Herman Loubser was in fourth on two-under after he signed for a four-under 68 in the second round.
“I thought I played even better than I did yesterday,” said Burke of his follow-up to his opening 66. “It’s just none of my putts went in. Yesterday, putting was a strong point of my game, but the putter was really cold today.
“Another difference was that the flags were in really tough positions. I’m the kind of player that will always go for flags, even if they’re tough. I find I tend to make more mistakes if I try and play it safe.”
He started his round on the 10th, and immediately picked up a birdie. He made bogey on the par-four 12th, and then a birdie on the par-four 16th. He picked up his eagle immediately after the turn on the par-five first, but he gave both those shots back on the second with a double-bogey six. He made pars all the way home as he kept battling his putter in search of a bigger edge over the opposition.
It would seem that the lead he has built should be enough, especially as the players in a share of fifth – Kyle McClatchie, Keelan van Wyk and amateur Slade Pickering – are on one-under, six shots off the pace.
“I’ll carry on doing the same thing tomorrow,” said Burke, “firing at flags and looking for birdies. It just takes the putter to turn and I’ll be scoring well again.”