Habana recharges, Hugo leads

Stellenbosch - Springbok wing Bryan Habana can probably relate to the questions Ernie Els has sometimes had to face about his form.

And on Wednesday, Habana was certainly pleased to enjoy some much-needed time off on the golf course as he teed it up in the first round of the Vodacom Business Origins Goes Easy tournament at Stellenbosch Golf Club, in honour of Els.

"It's good to have a break and I'm taking this opportunity with both hands.

"Ernie has been an amazing supporter of the Springboks and he loves his rugby. Ernie actually handed over my first Springbok jersey in 2004 when I made my debut at Twickenham. So it's an honour to salute him in the way we're doing here," said Habana, who has joined a number of other sporting greats such as Schalk Burger, Corne Krige, Naas Botha, Clive Rice and Brian McMillan in this 54-hole pro-am event on the Sunshine Tour.

For Habana, it's an ideal opportunity to clear his head following a tough Tri-Nations campaign for the Springboks.

"In sport, no player can be at the top all the time. You go through highs and lows. Fortunately, defeat and negativity are not fatal. It's about your willingness to continue improving, wanting to carry on and striving to become the best.

"Yes, the last two months have been a bit disappointing and frustrating. But if I look at how 2010 started off with the Stormers, it's been a great year so far. So you've got to roll with the positive and the negative.

"You've got to appreciate the support you have and take everything the critics say on the chin. If you're not willing to bounce back then you've got to hang up your boots, and I think I'm far from hanging up my boots.

It's been tough, but I'm more excited than ever. Without challenges in life you don't develop and grow. Things haven't gone our way the last couple of months, but you learn more from defeat than success." The professionals endured a tough opening round on a course saturated by persistent rain, which eventually forced a one hour and 30 minute suspension, and led to an incomplete round.

Meanwhile, Jean Hugo kept his card error-free for the second day in a row to take the early clubhouse lead in round two of the Vodacom Business Origins of Golf event at Stellenbosch Golf Club.

He made five birdies, with three on his opening nine after he started on the 10th, and two more coming home assured him of a four-stroke lead over Thabang Simon and Louis de Jager, who carded a pair of 69s.

After the rain of the opening round, the cool sunshine was welcome, even if a southeaster made things difficult, but Hugo, who grew up in the area and learnt his golf on the course, was in complete control.

He nearly holed approach shots twice during his round - on the 351m 17th and the 368m third – and those eagles would have taken him even further clear.

He has also played the eight par-fives he has encountered so far in just two-under, and any improvement there is going to make him very difficult to catch in Friday’s final round.

The next best round of the morning belonged to Warren Abery, who carded a four-under-par 68 for a share of sixth with Louis Moolman and Steve Basson.

Abery made five birdies and a bogey in his round, while Moolman, one behind Hugo after completing his first round in the morning, went round in even-par 72. Basson carded a three-under 69.

Behind the leaders, Derik Ferreira got himself into position for a better finish that he initially expected after his opening round of 75 when he aced the 172m, 15th.

Leading second round scores:

-11 - Jean Hugo 66 67
-7 - Thabang Simon 68 69, Louis de Jager 68 69
-6 - Des Terblanche 69 69, Willie van der Merwe 69 69
-5 - Warren Abery 71 68, Louis Moolman 67 72, Steve Basson 70 69
-4 - Danie van Niekerk (Jnr) 68 72, Dion Fourie 71 69
-2 - PH McIntyre 71 71, Grant Veenstra 70 72, Christiaan Basson 68 74, Martin Maritz 70 72
-1 - Garth Mulroy 71 72, Ulrich van den Berg 71 72
Par - Theunis Spangenberg 71 73, Charl Coetzee 72 72, Divan van den Heever 72 72
+2 - Ryan Thompson 74 72, Doug McGuigan 72 74, Bradford Vaughan 72 74
+3 - Teboho Sefatsa 75 72, Cameron Johnston 74 73, Desvonde Botes 73 74
+4 - Alan Michell 75 73, Ryan Tipping 73 75, Mark Murless 72 76
 +5 - Jeff Inglis (ENG) 74 75
+10 - Lindani Ndwandwe 75 79