Louis Oosthuizen was the best of the South Africans on Friday on a poor day for them in the second round of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club as he carded a one-over-par 71 to be one of just four South Africans to make the cut.
On a day on which the wind blew and toughened up the course for most of the day, Oosthuizen’s one birdie and two bogeys was a good return as he goes into the weekend in a share of 64th on four-over. That’s 13 shots off the lead which was held by Will Zalatoris, who played later in the day and had the wind drop on him by the 11th hole. That enabled him to card a five-under 65, and, at nine-under, he has a one-stroke lead over Mito Pereira of Chile, who had a 64.
The round of the day came from Bubba Watson, who carded a major-championship best pf seven-under 63 to equal the course record. He was on five-under for the tournament in fourth.
Just ahead of Oosthuizen, on three-over after a second-round of two-over 72, was Justin Harding in a share of 53rd. Also on three-over was Shaun Norris, who carded a similar 72.
The fourth South African to make the cut was the last man into the field, Charl Schwartzel, who had a three-over 73 to join his good friend Oosthuizen on four-over for the tournament.
After such a promising start, Dean Burmester would have been devastated to miss the cut after a real battle in the second round saw him card an eight-over 78 to slip to seven-over for the tournament.
The other South Africans who missed the cut were Branden Grace, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Daniel van Tonder, Garrick Higgo, Oliver Bekker and Erik van Rooyen.
