Frittelli looks to make it two in a row
Dylan Frittelli (72) finished on a four under par thirty six hole aggregate to make the halfway cut in the South African Open Championship being played at Durban Country Club.
He is the current holder of the Freddie Tait Cup, the trophy awarded to the leading amateur on conclusion of the championship. If he succeeds in holding onto the trophy on Sunday he will become the first player since Barry Franklin, in 1962, to win it in successive years.
Dean O’Riley (71) also finished on four under par he being the only other amateur to make the halfway cut, set at three under par.
Seven amateurs started the rain interrupted South African Open Championship.
Those who failed to get through to Sunday were Laurie Canter (England) (144), Ryan Dreyer (144), Riekus Nortje (150), JG Claassen (155) and Coenie Bester (157).
Ernie Els is leading the championship with a fourteen under par aggregate of 130, after two rounds of 65. He is two shots clear of Retief Goosen.
Dean O’Riley played superb golf today. Teeing up on the fifteenth hole he was seven under par for the championship. After hitting his drive off the fairway on hole sixteen, he over hit a seven iron approach to the green and failed to get up and down to bogey the hole. This was immediately followed by a double bogey on the penultimate hole after he hit his drive into the bushes and was forced to take an unplayable lie.
“I played nicely other than for the two holes I dropped shots on at the end,” said O’Riley after his round. “I came into this tournament knowing this is my last event as an amateur. This is also my last chance to win the Freddie Tait Cup, a trophy I would love to win.”
Dylan Frittelli played his second round in regulation which does not explain how up and down it turned out for him.
The twenty year old University of Texas student found himself three over after five holes. “It was a bit hair raising, I must be honest. However I said to myself that the first five holes were quite tough but after you through them birdie opportunities were available on the par fives where one could claw back shots,” said Frittelli.
This is exactly what he did, he birdied four of the next ten holes he played.
At five under par and looking like making the cut comfortably he teed up on hole seventeen with a two iron. “I pushed it right and it ran down a slope. From there I hacked it through to the green and ended up double bogeying the hole,” said the Irene Country Club member of what he called a big moment in his round.
Frittelli birdied the last hole and so ended up at four under for the tournament.
Not many players can lay claim to having won the Freddie Tait Cup twice in successive years. This is Frittelli’s objective on Sunday.
The cut in the South African Open Championship was made to the leading fifty professionals and ties.
The cut was reduced in order to try and get all players through thirty six holes on Sunday and thus ensure that the championship is decided over seventy holes.
South African Open Championship
Durban Country Club (par 72)
Second Round Leaders (South African unless stated otherwise):
130 – Ernie Els (65,65)
132 – Retief Goosen (64,68)
133 – Romain Wattel (FRA) (67,66)
134 – Charl Schwartzel (65,69), Louis Oosthuizen (67,67)
135 – David Dixon (ENG) (66,69)
Leading Amateurs
140 – Dylan Frittelli (68,72), Dean O’Riley (69,71)
144 – Laurie Canter (ENG) (74,70), Ryan Dreyer (71,73)
150 – Riekus Nortje (71,79)
155 – JG Claassen (76,79)
157 – Coenie Bester (77,80)