Jaco Ahlers took full advantage of a hot putter on the back nine and soared to the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the SunBet Challenge hosted by Wild Coast Sun with a round of six-under-par 64.
Jacques Blaauw made par at the first playoff hole to win the SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun City at the Gary Player Country Club, with the 38-year-old breaking an eight-year win drought and doing it at one of his favourite courses.
Martin Rohwer is eager to start the new season well and get up the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy as soon as he can, and the four-time Sunshine Tour winner surged to the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the SunBet Challenge.
Martin Rohwer had the good graces to call it “unexpected” and thanked the weather for helping him, but his wonderful victory in the SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun Sibaya at Umhlali Country Club on Friday was down to the fabulous golf he played on the final day.
Jonathan Broomhead did not have the services of a hot putter and it was a tougher, windier day at Umhlali Country Club on Thursday, but the Sunshine Tour rookie still managed to hang on to the lead after the second round of the SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun Sibaya.
Jonathan Broomhead, in his maiden season on the Sunshine Tour, roared to the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun Sibaya on Wednesday when he shot a dazzling eight-under-par 63 at Umhlali Country Club, describing it as “just one of those rounds that happen now and again”.
Neil Schietekat fired a superb five-under-par 65 on Friday in the second round of the SunBet Challenge Wild Coast to claim a share of the lead with Jean Hugo going into the final round of the tournament at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club, and admitted part of him would have liked the strong winds that have disrupted the event to continue.
South Korea’s DK Kim brushed aside strong winds that forced the first round of the SunBet Challenge to be suspended as he enjoyed pride of place at the top of the official leaderboard at Wild Coast Sun Country Club when play was interrupted shortly after 11am.
With his putter finally starting to fire, Hennie Otto began the final round of the SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun City with a birdie and just continued in that vein before making par at the first playoff hole to win the title at Gary Player Country Club.
Keelan van Wyk made a few silly mistakes on the front nine at Gary Player Country Club on Thursday and paid the price, but the CMR Golf Club representative can feel immensely proud of the way he bounced back to retain the lead after the second round of the SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun City.