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George Coetzee took a healthy dose of patience from his doctor father in the second round of the Telkom PGA Championship to card an eight-under-par 64 for a share of the halfway lead.
With him at 15-under-par was playing partner Branden Grace, who also signed for a 64.
“My father is on the bag this week,” Coetzee laughed, “and maybe we’ll finish a second tournament together this weekend.”
What the paternal presence of Dr George Coetzee did bring to the George Coetzee junior game was the ability to wait out the dry patches.
After a birdie-less opening six holes in the first round, he reached the sixth hole in round two at level par again. “I just had to be patient again on the first six holes today, and then I started making some putts,” he said.
He certainly did: Two before the turn, which he reached in a respectable 34, and then another six on his way home as he closed in 30.
“Gracie was four shots ahead after eight so I was just chasing him the whole day,” he said. “Having someone to chase with a reasonable score – well, maybe not reasonable – but maybe someone to chase who inspires you play better really helps.”
It helped Grace too: “I was just hanging on in that back nine,” he said, “trying to make another birdie or two while he was going crazy.”
Grace turned in five-under 31 after three birdies and an eagle, and he finished with three more birdies on the back nine to finish his second consecutive bogey-free round.
“I want to try and go the whole tournament without making a bogey,” he said, and who would bet against it as he and Coetzee egg each other on in the final two rounds.
They weren’t the only players to take advantage of the low rough and benign conditions at Country Club Johannesburg: Divan van den Heever and Vaughn Groenewald each made nine-under-par 63s.
Groenewald’s was a flawless effort, which closed with five consecutive birdies, while Van den Heever had an eagle and a bogey mixed in with his eight birdies.
Van den Heever finished the day on 12-under for the tournament in fourth place, and Groenewald moved into a share of eighth with Chris Swanepoel and Garth Mulroy.
In third ahead of Van den Heever was Hennie Otto, who also got in on the low-scoring act with his eight-under 64, leaving him one shot adrift of Grace and Coetzee – but brimming with confidence after his win last week in the Dimension Data Pro-Am.
He will need to find an antidote to the medicine Coetzee is taking. “My Dad’s trying to push me to do better. He’s always saying that I can get another birdie when I make one,” said Coetzee.
That’s not so hard to swallow.
Scores (RSA unless specified):
129 - George Coetzee 65 64, Branden Grace 65 64
130 - Hennie Otto 66 64
132 - Divan van den Heever 69 63
133 - Deane Pappas 66 67, Neil Schietekat 68 65, Mark Murless 66 67
134 - Chris Swanepoel 67 67, Vaughn Groenewald 71 63, Garth Mulroy 68 66
135 - Tyrone Ferreira 69 66, Matthew Carvell 68 67
136 - Oliver Bekker 65 71, Darren Fichardt 67 69, Anton Haig 65 71, Louis de Jager 69 67
137 - Ryan Strauss 66 71, Peter Karmis 71 66, Christian Ries 68 69, Bennie van der Merwe 72 65, Doug McGuigan 68 69, TC Charamba (ZIM) 68 69, Jbe' Kruger 67 70, Adam Hadwin (CAN) 66 71, Jacques Blaauw 70 67
138 - Josh Cunliffe 73 65, Alex Haindl 70 68, James Kingston 70 68, Omar Sandys 71 67, Ryan Cairns (ZIM) 68 70
139 - James Kamte 71 68, Justin Harding 73 66, Trevor Fisher Jnr 68 71, Bradford Vaughan 69 70, Ockie Strydom 68 71, Dean Burmester 70 69, Dean O'Riley 69 70, Keith Horne 68 71, Neil Cheetham (ENG) 68 71, Andrew Georgiou 69 70, Charl Coetzee 70 69, Allan Versfeld 72 67
140 - Ulrich van den Berg 70 70, Darren Blair 71 69, Michael Scholz 69 71, Albert Pistorius 67 73, Ryan Tipping 70 70, Thomas Aiken 70 70, Darryn Lloyd 65 75, Brett Liddle 68 72
141 - Jeff Inglis (ENG) 70 71, Christiaan Basson 68 73, Jean Hugo 71 70, Tjaart van der Walt 72 69, Tyrone Mordt 72 69, David Hewan 70 71, Derek Scullard 69 72, Bruce McDonald (ZIM) 72 69, Alan Michell 70 71, Jaco Van Zyl 72 69, Adilson da Silva (BRA) 71 70, Andre Cruse 70 71, Johan Bekker 74 67
142 - Callie Swart 72 70, Ashley Roestoff 73 69, Jake Roos 69 73, Alan McLean (SCO) 70 72, Walter Els 71 71, Jeremy Kavanagh (ENG) 71 71, Desvonde Botes 74 68
Missed the cut:-
143 - Johan du Buisson 73 70, Merrick Bremner 72 71, Martin Maritz 73 70, Derik Ferreira 75 68, Wallie Coetsee 73 70, Peter Wilson (ENG) 72 71, PH McIntyre 68 75, Dion Fourie 73 70, Colin Nel 66 77, Justin Walters 70 73, Brandon Pieters 70 73
144 - John McClean 71 73, Dawie Van der Walt 72 72, Daniel Greene 68 76, Teboho Sefatsa 72 72, Tyrone Ryan 70 74, PG van Zyl 71 73, JJ Senekal 70 74, JG Claassen 70 74, Louis Moolman 72 72, Prinavin Nelson 74 70, Bryce Easton 73 71
145 - Thomas Curtis (ENG) 70 75, Coenie Stoop 75 70, Ryan Thompson 72 73, Anthony Michael 68 77, Jaco Ahlers 71 74, Michiel Bothma 73 72, Lindani Ndwandwe 74 71, Lyle Rowe 73 72, Robert Wiederkehr (SUI) 74 71, Keenan Davidse 72 73
146 - Henk Alberts 74 72, Grant Muller 71 75, Paul Marks 75 71, Adrian Ford 71 75, Alexandre Chopard (SUI) 73 73, Derick Petersen 73 73, Rudy Whitfield 73 73, Louis Calitz 70 76, Toto Thimba (Jnr) 75 71, Morne Buys 76 70, Sean Ludgater 73 73
147 - Cameron Johnston 77 70, Willie van der Merwe 71 76, Ali Tsai 75 72, Darren Bismark (ZIM) 77 70, Luke Goddard (ENG) 73 74, Des Terblanche 76 71, Shaun Norris 72 75, Mark Fensham 73 74, Lourens Kleynhans 74 73
148 - Patrick Spindler 73 75, Ian Palmer 76 72, Reggie Adams 75 73, Warren Abery 74 74, Thabang Simon 75 73, Grant Veenstra 75 73, Danie van Niekerk (Jnr) 77 71, Theunis Spangenberg 74 74
149 - George Sauerman 77 72, Don Black 78 71, Divan Gerber 77 72
150 - Ignatius Mketekete (ZIM) 73 77, Robson Saurombe (ZIM) 74 76, Owen Grobler 74 76, Steven Ferreira 74 76
151 - Michael Dreyer 73 78, Irvin Mazibuko 73 78, Ryan Hood 72 79, Michael du Toit 75 76
152 - Mike Michell 74 78, Morne Botha 77 75, Ben Mannix (ENG) 71 81, Warrick Druian 78 74, Clinton Whitelaw 79 73
153 - Andre van Zyl 78 75, Pieter Kruger 78 75
154 - Johan van Vuuren 81 73
155 - Akil Yousuf (ENG) 79 76
156 - Kenneth Dube 77 79, Ian Kennedy 77 79
158 - Sean McDonagh (ENG) 82 76
RTD - Louis le Roux 80 RTD, Andrew Curlewis 77 RTD, Richard Sterne 73 RTD
With him at 15-under-par was playing partner Branden Grace, who also signed for a 64.
“My father is on the bag this week,” Coetzee laughed, “and maybe we’ll finish a second tournament together this weekend.”
What the paternal presence of Dr George Coetzee did bring to the George Coetzee junior game was the ability to wait out the dry patches.
After a birdie-less opening six holes in the first round, he reached the sixth hole in round two at level par again. “I just had to be patient again on the first six holes today, and then I started making some putts,” he said.
He certainly did: Two before the turn, which he reached in a respectable 34, and then another six on his way home as he closed in 30.
“Gracie was four shots ahead after eight so I was just chasing him the whole day,” he said. “Having someone to chase with a reasonable score – well, maybe not reasonable – but maybe someone to chase who inspires you play better really helps.”
It helped Grace too: “I was just hanging on in that back nine,” he said, “trying to make another birdie or two while he was going crazy.”
Grace turned in five-under 31 after three birdies and an eagle, and he finished with three more birdies on the back nine to finish his second consecutive bogey-free round.
“I want to try and go the whole tournament without making a bogey,” he said, and who would bet against it as he and Coetzee egg each other on in the final two rounds.
They weren’t the only players to take advantage of the low rough and benign conditions at Country Club Johannesburg: Divan van den Heever and Vaughn Groenewald each made nine-under-par 63s.
Groenewald’s was a flawless effort, which closed with five consecutive birdies, while Van den Heever had an eagle and a bogey mixed in with his eight birdies.
Van den Heever finished the day on 12-under for the tournament in fourth place, and Groenewald moved into a share of eighth with Chris Swanepoel and Garth Mulroy.
In third ahead of Van den Heever was Hennie Otto, who also got in on the low-scoring act with his eight-under 64, leaving him one shot adrift of Grace and Coetzee – but brimming with confidence after his win last week in the Dimension Data Pro-Am.
He will need to find an antidote to the medicine Coetzee is taking. “My Dad’s trying to push me to do better. He’s always saying that I can get another birdie when I make one,” said Coetzee.
That’s not so hard to swallow.
Scores (RSA unless specified):
129 - George Coetzee 65 64, Branden Grace 65 64
130 - Hennie Otto 66 64
132 - Divan van den Heever 69 63
133 - Deane Pappas 66 67, Neil Schietekat 68 65, Mark Murless 66 67
134 - Chris Swanepoel 67 67, Vaughn Groenewald 71 63, Garth Mulroy 68 66
135 - Tyrone Ferreira 69 66, Matthew Carvell 68 67
136 - Oliver Bekker 65 71, Darren Fichardt 67 69, Anton Haig 65 71, Louis de Jager 69 67
137 - Ryan Strauss 66 71, Peter Karmis 71 66, Christian Ries 68 69, Bennie van der Merwe 72 65, Doug McGuigan 68 69, TC Charamba (ZIM) 68 69, Jbe' Kruger 67 70, Adam Hadwin (CAN) 66 71, Jacques Blaauw 70 67
138 - Josh Cunliffe 73 65, Alex Haindl 70 68, James Kingston 70 68, Omar Sandys 71 67, Ryan Cairns (ZIM) 68 70
139 - James Kamte 71 68, Justin Harding 73 66, Trevor Fisher Jnr 68 71, Bradford Vaughan 69 70, Ockie Strydom 68 71, Dean Burmester 70 69, Dean O'Riley 69 70, Keith Horne 68 71, Neil Cheetham (ENG) 68 71, Andrew Georgiou 69 70, Charl Coetzee 70 69, Allan Versfeld 72 67
140 - Ulrich van den Berg 70 70, Darren Blair 71 69, Michael Scholz 69 71, Albert Pistorius 67 73, Ryan Tipping 70 70, Thomas Aiken 70 70, Darryn Lloyd 65 75, Brett Liddle 68 72
141 - Jeff Inglis (ENG) 70 71, Christiaan Basson 68 73, Jean Hugo 71 70, Tjaart van der Walt 72 69, Tyrone Mordt 72 69, David Hewan 70 71, Derek Scullard 69 72, Bruce McDonald (ZIM) 72 69, Alan Michell 70 71, Jaco Van Zyl 72 69, Adilson da Silva (BRA) 71 70, Andre Cruse 70 71, Johan Bekker 74 67
142 - Callie Swart 72 70, Ashley Roestoff 73 69, Jake Roos 69 73, Alan McLean (SCO) 70 72, Walter Els 71 71, Jeremy Kavanagh (ENG) 71 71, Desvonde Botes 74 68
Missed the cut:-
143 - Johan du Buisson 73 70, Merrick Bremner 72 71, Martin Maritz 73 70, Derik Ferreira 75 68, Wallie Coetsee 73 70, Peter Wilson (ENG) 72 71, PH McIntyre 68 75, Dion Fourie 73 70, Colin Nel 66 77, Justin Walters 70 73, Brandon Pieters 70 73
144 - John McClean 71 73, Dawie Van der Walt 72 72, Daniel Greene 68 76, Teboho Sefatsa 72 72, Tyrone Ryan 70 74, PG van Zyl 71 73, JJ Senekal 70 74, JG Claassen 70 74, Louis Moolman 72 72, Prinavin Nelson 74 70, Bryce Easton 73 71
145 - Thomas Curtis (ENG) 70 75, Coenie Stoop 75 70, Ryan Thompson 72 73, Anthony Michael 68 77, Jaco Ahlers 71 74, Michiel Bothma 73 72, Lindani Ndwandwe 74 71, Lyle Rowe 73 72, Robert Wiederkehr (SUI) 74 71, Keenan Davidse 72 73
146 - Henk Alberts 74 72, Grant Muller 71 75, Paul Marks 75 71, Adrian Ford 71 75, Alexandre Chopard (SUI) 73 73, Derick Petersen 73 73, Rudy Whitfield 73 73, Louis Calitz 70 76, Toto Thimba (Jnr) 75 71, Morne Buys 76 70, Sean Ludgater 73 73
147 - Cameron Johnston 77 70, Willie van der Merwe 71 76, Ali Tsai 75 72, Darren Bismark (ZIM) 77 70, Luke Goddard (ENG) 73 74, Des Terblanche 76 71, Shaun Norris 72 75, Mark Fensham 73 74, Lourens Kleynhans 74 73
148 - Patrick Spindler 73 75, Ian Palmer 76 72, Reggie Adams 75 73, Warren Abery 74 74, Thabang Simon 75 73, Grant Veenstra 75 73, Danie van Niekerk (Jnr) 77 71, Theunis Spangenberg 74 74
149 - George Sauerman 77 72, Don Black 78 71, Divan Gerber 77 72
150 - Ignatius Mketekete (ZIM) 73 77, Robson Saurombe (ZIM) 74 76, Owen Grobler 74 76, Steven Ferreira 74 76
151 - Michael Dreyer 73 78, Irvin Mazibuko 73 78, Ryan Hood 72 79, Michael du Toit 75 76
152 - Mike Michell 74 78, Morne Botha 77 75, Ben Mannix (ENG) 71 81, Warrick Druian 78 74, Clinton Whitelaw 79 73
153 - Andre van Zyl 78 75, Pieter Kruger 78 75
154 - Johan van Vuuren 81 73
155 - Akil Yousuf (ENG) 79 76
156 - Kenneth Dube 77 79, Ian Kennedy 77 79
158 - Sean McDonagh (ENG) 82 76
RTD - Louis le Roux 80 RTD, Andrew Curlewis 77 RTD, Richard Sterne 73 RTD
