Jacques Blaauw followed up his good start in the Challenge Tour’s Empordà Challenge at Empordà Golf in Girona, Spain, with a three-under-par 68 on Friday to head into the weekend in a share of fourth.
Blaauw overcame four birdies on his scorecard as he made seven birdies to move to nine-under for the tournament, three shots off the lead held by Andrew Wilson of England and France’s Julien Brun after rounds of 64 and 65 respectively took them to 12-under. They had a two-stroke edge over Max Rottluff of Germany.
The 35-year-old South African is currently ranked 34th on the Challenge Tour rankings, and, as things stand, he’s projected to climb nine places. But a win would be even better for his chances of gaining his European Tour playing privileges.
Behind him, JC Ritchie, who led the first round, had a bad day at the office with a three-over 74 to go with his opening 65. That took him to three-under for the tournament, nine shots off the lead, and a share of 44th with Hennie du Plessis who had a second-round one-under-par 70.
Bryce Easton signed for a four-under 67 to make the cut on the number on three-under, while Oliver Bekker missed out after a second-successive level-par left him three shots shy of the weekend action.
