Modderfontein ’s Marco Steyn produced a flawless nine-under-par 63 to open up a yawning gap on the field in the second round of the Central Gauteng Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on Saturday.
Steyn shared the first round lead with Southern Cape’s Johannes Frahs after the pair opened with a pair of five under 67s at the East Course.
Playing in the afternoon field, the 18-year-old Steyn started three shots behind Cameron Moralee from Southern Cape, who set the early target at eight under with an impressive 64.
He burst from the blocks with a three-birdie start to join the KeNako Academy player at the top, but another three-birdie flurry from the seventh took Steyn to the turn at 11 under.
Further gains at 10, 14 and 18 moved the TuksGolf Academies player to 14-under-par 130.
He will start the third round six strokes clear of Moralee and Gauteng North’s Albert Venter, who returned a 68.
Steyn was predictably pleased that his bogey-free production also marked his career low score.
“I watched the live scoring in the morning and I saw some guys were hitting low scores,” he said.
“When I got to the course, the guys who came off said the pins were not as brutal as in the first round and that put me in a good frame of mind. When I opened with three birdies in a row, I knew I could for a low number because I’m striking the ball well and my accuracy is very good at the moment.”
SECOND ROUND SCORES
130 Marco Steyn 67 63
136 Cameron Moralee 71 65; Albert Venter 68 68
137 Ruan Conradie 71 66; Dylan Mostert 71 66
138 Philip Kruse 70 68
139 Blaine Dormehl 72 67
140 Jeff Hopkins IRL 72 68; Jason Viljoen 70 70
141 Alan Lones 71 70; Luke Trocado 69 72
Source: Sport24