Naidoo leads amateur quartet at Joburg Open
Central Gauteng junior Dylan Naidoo will lead the four-strong amateur challenge in today’s second round of the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.
The 17-year-old experienced a case of de-ja-vu after he navigated the West Course in one-under-par 70 on Thursday – the exact same score he opened with in his debut at the R16.5-million Sunshine and European Tour co-sanctioned showpiece last year.
The reigning Nomads SA Boys U-19 Stroke Play champion mixed a birdie with two bogeys on the front nine but took care of the deficit with birdies at 15 and 17 in a flawless back nine.
The rest of the amateur quartet started at the East Course.
Fellow TuksSport Golf Academies player Marco Steyn carded a 75, James du Preez returned a 76 and Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation member Karabo Mokoena carded a 77.
Meanwhile South Africa’s Justin Walters broke away from the bus at six-under to take the first round lead with a seven-under-par 65 at the East Course.
Former two-time Sanlam SA Amateur Stroke Play champion Haydn Porteous eagled the first hole at the East and reeled in four gains to join Zimbabwe’s Mark Williams, Englishmen David Howell and Anthony Wall and Swedish pair Michael Jonzon and Johan Carlsson in second.
The cut to the top 65 and ties will be made at the end of the second round.
SECOND ROUND TIMES
09h20 at 1st on East – Dylan Naidoo AMA, Toby Tree (ENG), Hugues Joannes (BEL)
06h30 at 1st on West – Karabo Mokoena AMA, Jason Viljoen (RSA), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
12h20 at 1st on West – James du Preez AMA, CJ du Plessis (RSA), Dimi Papadatos (AUS)
12h30 at 1st on West – Marco Steyn AMA, Daniel Gaunt (AUS), John Hahn (USA)