Nov 16, 2019: Zander Lombard continued his recent run of fine form to take a two shot lead into the weekend at the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player – the seventh Rolex Series event of the 2019 Race to Dubai. India’s Shubhankar Sharma was lying T27 after shooting two-over-74 in the second round.
The South African, who topped last season’s Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, carded a round of 65 to get to 11 under par, with compatriot and 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen at nine under par and Belgian Thomas Detry two shots further back.
“Playing with two legends of the game, it was nervy, but I settled down quickly with a birdie on the second and it was just all really good vibes from there. Played really well today” said Lombard.
All three were in a tie for the lead after Lombard – who was playing alongside defending champion Lee Westwood and South African legend Ernie Els – went eagle-birdie after the turn, but his rivals started heading in the wrong direction as he took control.
Overnight leader Oosthuizen – who was unsure if he would tee off on Thursday after suffering from kidney stones – dropped shots on the 14th and 15th, while Detry double bogeyed the 17th after finding water from the tee and dropped another shot on the last.
“I was fine starting. The last six holes got me a bit. The tee shot on 14, I felt it in the right lower with the pain. I think the next two holes, I was thinking of that and didn’t really focus on what I had to do”, said Louis.
The 2017 Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood and Swede Marcus Kinhult are in a share of fourth place at six under par, with England’s Aaron Rai, Australian Jason Scrivener and Dane Joachim B. Hansen one shot further back.
The current Race to Dubai leader Bernd Wiesberger of Austria is amongst a group of seven players at four under par.
European Tour Release
