Zander Lombard Takes Over Nedbank Lead After Second Round

South Africa’s Zander Lombard holds the halfway lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge, after carding a second round of 65.

Zander Lombard takes over the lead from fellow countryman Louis Oosthuizen, with the pair heading up the leaderboard on home soil in the penultimate event of the European Tour season.

The 24-year-old, who is still searching for his maiden European Tour victory, bogeyed the first hole but bounced with six birdies and an eagle 3 at the par-5 10th hole to card his 65.

He sits two shots clear of his compatriot Oosthuizen, who followed up a Thursday 63 with a level-par round of 72 around Gary Player Country Club on Friday afternoon.

The overnight leader had three birdies and three bogeys in his second round and saw his lead diminish over the course of the day.

Belgium’s Thomas Detry remains in the top three in Sun City, having followed up his first round of 66 with a second day 71, but it could have been much better, as he shot +3 for his final two holes, thanks to a double bogey on 17, followed by a closing bogey.

It could have been much worse for the Belgian, had he not had this amazingly lucky bounce at the 17th hole. He took a 6 at the penultimate hole, but it could have been a much higher number.

Both Tommy Fleetwood and Marcus Kinhult have shot a pair of 69s to sit in a tie for 4th after two rounds in South Africa, while the trio of Jason Scrivener, Joachim Hansen and Aaron Rai all sit a further shot back, six behind the halfway leader.

Matthew Fitzpatrick and Bernd Wiesberger remain together on the leaderboard, having both shot 71, 69 over the opening two days. Guido Migliozzi joins them at -4, having carded an over=par round following his 67 on day one.

Lee Westwood also shot over-par, and he now sits eight shots off the lead in his bid to become the first man to win multiple Nedbank Golf Challenges since the tournament’s debut on the European Tour in 2013.

Kurt Kitayama and Erik van Rooyen, both men pushing for the Race to Dubai crown, sit just inside the top 25, while Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter are among those at +1, sitting in a tie for 35th.

Unfortunately for the South African crowd, the ‘Big Easy’ Ernie Els could only follow up his opening round of 68 with a Friday 81, dropping down into a tie for 50th. He is joined by Robert MacIntyre, Branden Grace, and Ryan Fox among others at +5.

The leading three men will get their third rounds underway at 10:20 local time (GMT+2), with Zander Lombard looking to keep up his momentum in front of a home crowd.

However, that same crowd will also be cheering on Oosthuizen, while Detry will be looking to fight his way to the top. Can one of those slightly further back mount a challenge on moving day?

Play starts at 08:30 local time, as two pairs go out early doors. Rafa Cabrera Bello, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Shubhankar Sharma, and Gavin Green will all be looking to put in a good round to move themselves up from the level-par score they find themselves on after two days.

Leaderboard:

1 (-11): Zander Lombard (RSA)

2 (-9): Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)

3 (-7): Thomas Detry (BEL)

T4 (-6): Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)

Selected Others:

T9 (-4): Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT), Guido Migliozzi (ITA)

T16 (-3): Lee Westwood (ENG), Jorge Campillo (ESP)

T20 (-2): Alex Noren (SWE), Kurt Kitayama (USA), Martin Kaymer (GER)

T25 (-1): Erik van Rooyen (RSA), Padraig Harrington (IRL)

T29 (E): Gavin Green (MAS), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)

T35 (+1): Benjamin Hebert (FRA), Henrik Stenson (SWE), Ian Poulter (ENG)

T40 (+3): Matt Wallace (ENG), Adri Arnaus (ESP)