Durban - Ruan de Smidt cruised down Durban Country Club’s back nine in 33 strokes on Friday, stamping his name on a three-stroke lead after round two of the Suncoast Classic.
“I’m very happy and hopefully I can do the same again tomorrow, but I don’t want to get too excited yet. I putted really well today and never had big misses, and that’s really crucial here,” he said.
The 23-year-old went bogey-free around a track that has hosted the SA Open 17 times, eventually signing for 69 and securing a three-shot cushion ahead of the final round on Saturday.
His last time in contention was at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final, where he played alongside European tour sensation Branden Grace during the final round.
“I hit a lot of two-irons today and my low shot is looking good,” said de Smidt. “I looked at Branden when I played with him at the Origins Final and tried to practice that shot, and it’s worked quite well. I learnt a lot from how Branden played, and I’ll approach the final round very differently.”
The Krugersdorp local held the halfway lead at the Zimbabwe Open earlier this year, but slid to third during the final round. He was ready for another crack at success.
“I was nervous during the one in Zim, but I didn’t really feel nervous today. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, and hopefully I can pull this one through,” he said.
Since winning the Sunshine Tour’s 2011 Qualifying School, de Smidt has made eight cuts and taken two top-10 finishes.
Currently second to Danie van Tonder in the Rookie of the Year Race, the Krugersdorp local was keen on a good result.
“A win here would really be good for me, because it will help me get into all of the co-sanctioned events. At the moment I have to pre-qualify for all of them. And the Rookie of the Year Race is a plus if I can get it,” he said.
Wallie Coetsee will head up the chase on Saturday. With 20 years of experience and 38 top-10s to his name, he was ready to hunt down de Smidt’s three-stroke lead.
“It’s been a few years since I’ve been in contention, but I feel confident and I’m relaxed. I spent 20 years on the circuit, last won in ’97 and I’ve close a few times since then. I’ve got nothing to lose and I’m feeling confident for tomorrow,” he said.
Former champion Alex Haindl carded a massive nine birdies during the second round, securing a share of third alongside Teboho Sefatsa and Jacques Blaauw. Haindl won the inaugural Suncoast Classic in 2006 and optimistic about Saturday.
“I’ve always loved playing here, and on this course anything can happen,” said Haindl. “There are a lot of birdies, but there’s always plenty of trouble, so I think everyone’s got a chance. This has always been a special event to me, being the one that I won. It’s always nice coming here, it almost feels like home.”
SCORES:(RSA unless otherwise specified):
137 - Ruan de Smidt 69 68
140 - Wallie Coetsee 71 69
142 - Alex Haindl 73 69, Teboho Sefatsa 73 69, Jacques Blaauw 72 70
143 - Alpheus Kelapile 77 66, Doug McGuigan 76 67
144 - Ryan Cairns (ZIM) 78 66, Vaughn Groenewald 74 70, Ulrich van den Berg 74 70, Titch Moore 73 71
145 - Lyle Rowe 76 69, Danie van Tonder 73 72
146 - Ben Mannix (ENG) 75 71, Louis de Jager 78 68, James Kingston 74 72, Daniel Hammond 74 72, Reggie Adams 74 72, Jeff Inglis (ENG) 75 71,Christiaan Basson 76 70, Daniel Greene 76 70, Jake Roos 77 69, Andre Cruse 75 71
147 - Allister de Kock 78 69, Trevor Fisher Jnr 74 73, Theunis Spangenberg 75 72, Pieter Moolman 74 73, Ross Wellington 73 74,Chris Swanepoel 78 69, Bryce Easton 77 70, Graham van der Merwe 74 73, Omar Sandys 76 71
148 - Drikus van der Walt 77 71, Ryan Tipping 78 70, Grant Muller 69 79, Jaco Ahlers 73 75, PH McIntyre 78 70
149 - David Hewan 77 72, Joshua Cunliffe 80 69, Andrew Curlewis 79 70, Ian Hutchings 72 77, Dean Burmester 73 76,Hendrik Buhrmann 76 73, Morne Buys 76 73
Missed the cut:-
150 - Robert Wiederkehr (SUI) 78 72, Lindani Ndwandwe 76 74, JJ Senekal 77 73, Matthew Carvell 77 73, Charl Coetzee 81 69,Tyrone Mordt 75 75, Michael Hollick 79 71
151 - Jacques van Tonder 79 72, Johan Bekker 76 75, Neil Cheetham (ENG) 81 70, James Kamte 78 73, Neil Schietekat 80 71,Riekus Nortje 82 69, Mark Fensham 76 75, Stefan Engell Andersen (KEN) 79 72, Bennie van der Merwe 75 76, Justin Harding 77 74,Colin Nel 81 70
152 - Nic Henning 76 76, Allan Versfeld 77 75, Darren Fichardt 82 70, Darryn Lloyd 80 72, Shaun Norris 83 69, Irvin Mazibuko 78 74,Brett Liddle 76 76, Adrian Ford 79 73, Martin du Toit 79 73
153 - Johan du Buisson 76 77, Divan van den Heever 82 71, Anthony Michael 82 71, Francois Haughton 82 71, Juan Langeveld 83 70,Jack Kutumane 80 73, Ockie Strydom 81 72, Lean Boezaart 75 78
154 - Steven Ferreira 79 75, Thabo Maseko 77 77, Jared Harvey 77 77, Andre van Zyl 75 79, Grant Veenstra 81 73
155 - George Brown 82 73, Louis Calitz 81 74, Ryan Strauss 84 71, Merrick Bremner 78 77, Gary Birch Jr (GER) 82 73, Vickesh Singh 81 74,Martin Smit 79 76, Derick Petersen 81 74, Peter Wilson (ENG) 78 77
156 - Chris Erasmus 82 74, Francois Coetzee 80 76, Thomas Lovett 82 74, Alan Michell 78 78
157 - Wynand Dingle 81 76, Wayne Westner 87 70, Jake Redman 81 76, Derik Ferreira 84 73, Steve Basson 79 78, JG Claassen 75 82,Keenan Davidse 84 73, Divan Gerber 84 73
158 - Attie Schwartzel 85 73, Desvonde Botes 83 75, Ryan Thompson 83 75, Thabang Simon 78 80, Michael Green 84 74,Bradford Vaughan 79 79
160 - Tyrone Ryan 83 77
161 - Beyers Smith 81 80, Brendan de Lange 82 79, Prinavin Nelson 89 72, Nathan Waghorn 80 81, Micky Hough (ZIM) 81 80,Tyrone Ferreira 85 76
162 - Alan McLean (SCO) 87 75, David Ryan 83 79
163 - Oliver Bekker 84 79, Francois van Vuuren 79 84
164 - Dean Schoultz (ZIM) 87 77, Stuart Smith (BOT) 86 78, Kevin Stone 90 74, Paul Bradshaw 89 75, Steven van Heerden 89 75
165 - Sung-Moon Hohng (KOR) 87 78
167 - Coenie Bester 92 75, Nisharlan Sewshanker 85 82, Mikhail Tewary 85 82
168 - Elvis Sithebe 81 87, Langley Perrins 81 87
171 - Johann Mostert 94 77
173 - Diether Schuss 92 81
“I’m very happy and hopefully I can do the same again tomorrow, but I don’t want to get too excited yet. I putted really well today and never had big misses, and that’s really crucial here,” he said.
The 23-year-old went bogey-free around a track that has hosted the SA Open 17 times, eventually signing for 69 and securing a three-shot cushion ahead of the final round on Saturday.
His last time in contention was at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final, where he played alongside European tour sensation Branden Grace during the final round.
“I hit a lot of two-irons today and my low shot is looking good,” said de Smidt. “I looked at Branden when I played with him at the Origins Final and tried to practice that shot, and it’s worked quite well. I learnt a lot from how Branden played, and I’ll approach the final round very differently.”
The Krugersdorp local held the halfway lead at the Zimbabwe Open earlier this year, but slid to third during the final round. He was ready for another crack at success.
“I was nervous during the one in Zim, but I didn’t really feel nervous today. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, and hopefully I can pull this one through,” he said.
Since winning the Sunshine Tour’s 2011 Qualifying School, de Smidt has made eight cuts and taken two top-10 finishes.
Currently second to Danie van Tonder in the Rookie of the Year Race, the Krugersdorp local was keen on a good result.
“A win here would really be good for me, because it will help me get into all of the co-sanctioned events. At the moment I have to pre-qualify for all of them. And the Rookie of the Year Race is a plus if I can get it,” he said.
Wallie Coetsee will head up the chase on Saturday. With 20 years of experience and 38 top-10s to his name, he was ready to hunt down de Smidt’s three-stroke lead.
“It’s been a few years since I’ve been in contention, but I feel confident and I’m relaxed. I spent 20 years on the circuit, last won in ’97 and I’ve close a few times since then. I’ve got nothing to lose and I’m feeling confident for tomorrow,” he said.
Former champion Alex Haindl carded a massive nine birdies during the second round, securing a share of third alongside Teboho Sefatsa and Jacques Blaauw. Haindl won the inaugural Suncoast Classic in 2006 and optimistic about Saturday.
“I’ve always loved playing here, and on this course anything can happen,” said Haindl. “There are a lot of birdies, but there’s always plenty of trouble, so I think everyone’s got a chance. This has always been a special event to me, being the one that I won. It’s always nice coming here, it almost feels like home.”
SCORES:(RSA unless otherwise specified):
137 - Ruan de Smidt 69 68
140 - Wallie Coetsee 71 69
142 - Alex Haindl 73 69, Teboho Sefatsa 73 69, Jacques Blaauw 72 70
143 - Alpheus Kelapile 77 66, Doug McGuigan 76 67
144 - Ryan Cairns (ZIM) 78 66, Vaughn Groenewald 74 70, Ulrich van den Berg 74 70, Titch Moore 73 71
145 - Lyle Rowe 76 69, Danie van Tonder 73 72
146 - Ben Mannix (ENG) 75 71, Louis de Jager 78 68, James Kingston 74 72, Daniel Hammond 74 72, Reggie Adams 74 72, Jeff Inglis (ENG) 75 71,Christiaan Basson 76 70, Daniel Greene 76 70, Jake Roos 77 69, Andre Cruse 75 71
147 - Allister de Kock 78 69, Trevor Fisher Jnr 74 73, Theunis Spangenberg 75 72, Pieter Moolman 74 73, Ross Wellington 73 74,Chris Swanepoel 78 69, Bryce Easton 77 70, Graham van der Merwe 74 73, Omar Sandys 76 71
148 - Drikus van der Walt 77 71, Ryan Tipping 78 70, Grant Muller 69 79, Jaco Ahlers 73 75, PH McIntyre 78 70
149 - David Hewan 77 72, Joshua Cunliffe 80 69, Andrew Curlewis 79 70, Ian Hutchings 72 77, Dean Burmester 73 76,Hendrik Buhrmann 76 73, Morne Buys 76 73
Missed the cut:-
150 - Robert Wiederkehr (SUI) 78 72, Lindani Ndwandwe 76 74, JJ Senekal 77 73, Matthew Carvell 77 73, Charl Coetzee 81 69,Tyrone Mordt 75 75, Michael Hollick 79 71
151 - Jacques van Tonder 79 72, Johan Bekker 76 75, Neil Cheetham (ENG) 81 70, James Kamte 78 73, Neil Schietekat 80 71,Riekus Nortje 82 69, Mark Fensham 76 75, Stefan Engell Andersen (KEN) 79 72, Bennie van der Merwe 75 76, Justin Harding 77 74,Colin Nel 81 70
152 - Nic Henning 76 76, Allan Versfeld 77 75, Darren Fichardt 82 70, Darryn Lloyd 80 72, Shaun Norris 83 69, Irvin Mazibuko 78 74,Brett Liddle 76 76, Adrian Ford 79 73, Martin du Toit 79 73
153 - Johan du Buisson 76 77, Divan van den Heever 82 71, Anthony Michael 82 71, Francois Haughton 82 71, Juan Langeveld 83 70,Jack Kutumane 80 73, Ockie Strydom 81 72, Lean Boezaart 75 78
154 - Steven Ferreira 79 75, Thabo Maseko 77 77, Jared Harvey 77 77, Andre van Zyl 75 79, Grant Veenstra 81 73
155 - George Brown 82 73, Louis Calitz 81 74, Ryan Strauss 84 71, Merrick Bremner 78 77, Gary Birch Jr (GER) 82 73, Vickesh Singh 81 74,Martin Smit 79 76, Derick Petersen 81 74, Peter Wilson (ENG) 78 77
156 - Chris Erasmus 82 74, Francois Coetzee 80 76, Thomas Lovett 82 74, Alan Michell 78 78
157 - Wynand Dingle 81 76, Wayne Westner 87 70, Jake Redman 81 76, Derik Ferreira 84 73, Steve Basson 79 78, JG Claassen 75 82,Keenan Davidse 84 73, Divan Gerber 84 73
158 - Attie Schwartzel 85 73, Desvonde Botes 83 75, Ryan Thompson 83 75, Thabang Simon 78 80, Michael Green 84 74,Bradford Vaughan 79 79
160 - Tyrone Ryan 83 77
161 - Beyers Smith 81 80, Brendan de Lange 82 79, Prinavin Nelson 89 72, Nathan Waghorn 80 81, Micky Hough (ZIM) 81 80,Tyrone Ferreira 85 76
162 - Alan McLean (SCO) 87 75, David Ryan 83 79
163 - Oliver Bekker 84 79, Francois van Vuuren 79 84
164 - Dean Schoultz (ZIM) 87 77, Stuart Smith (BOT) 86 78, Kevin Stone 90 74, Paul Bradshaw 89 75, Steven van Heerden 89 75
165 - Sung-Moon Hohng (KOR) 87 78
167 - Coenie Bester 92 75, Nisharlan Sewshanker 85 82, Mikhail Tewary 85 82
168 - Elvis Sithebe 81 87, Langley Perrins 81 87
171 - Johann Mostert 94 77
173 - Diether Schuss 92 81