Jaco van Zyl will take a one-shot lead into the weekend of the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open after firing a bogey-free seven under par round of 65 at Royal Cape Golf Club.
The South African carded seven birdies to move to nine under par in Cape Town, one-shot ahead of countryman Dylan Mostert, Englishman Ashley Chesters and Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith, who share second place.
The 15-time Sunshine Tour winner, who has five runner-up finishes on the DP World Tour, was pleased to see his game trending in the right direction again after a tough few years.
“I’ve been playing really nicely for a while now,” he said. “It’s the first time in years that I’m happy with all 14 clubs in my bag.
“I’ve started swinging it well over the last six months which has been nice. I’ve struggled for so many years which has pulled on my confidence and self-belief but rounds like today make me feel like I’m heading in the right direction again.”
van Zyl believes the historic Royal Cape Golf Club is a match made in heaven for his strategic approach off the tee, however he is not getting carried away with two rounds still left to play in the Mother City.
“This course suits me down to a tee,” he said. “It’s the oldest golf course in South Africa and you have to think your way around it, it’s not all about smashing it 360 yards off the tee.
“It’s one of the great golf courses in this country because you don’t have lengthy approach shots into greens, but it still makes you think, especially when the wind gets up. Even if you hit it to 15 foot, there’s no guarantees you will make par.
“It’s always nice to be in this position at the top of the leaderboard but we’re only at the halfway stage so there’s a long way to go.”
Spaniard Borja Virto carded a seven under par round of 65 to move into fifth place on six under alongside countryman and overnight leader Manuel Elvira, England’s Bradley Bawden and home favourite Brandon Stone.
English duo Daniel O’Loughlin and Tom Murray share ninth place on five under par alongside Spaniard Ivan Cantero Gutierrez, Germany’s Velten Meyer, South African Martin Vorster and American Derek Ackerman.
