Oliver Bekker stormed his way through the field on Friday with a seven-under-par 65 vaulting him into a share of fourth at the halfway mark of the DP World Tour’s Ras al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra Golf Club in the UAE.
Bekker in fact had got it to eight-under through 17 holes after starting his round on the 10th, with four birdies on his opening nine, and four on the homeward nine. But he three-putted from outside 62 feet on the ninth for the only blemish on his card, and, at nine-under for the tournament, he was five shots off the lead which was held by Scotland’s David Law. Law carded an eight-under 64 to move to 14-under, two clear of Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark. Spain’s Adrian Otaegui signed for a 63 to vault into third on 10-under, while Bekker shared fourth with Belgian Thomas Detry, Englishman Jordan Smith and fellow-South African Brandon Stone.
Stone battled the effects of a bogey and a double-bogey on his homeward nine, which hampered the good work done by six birdies. But he is still very much in contention, secure in the knowledge that he is back in good form.
Shaun Norris carded a second-round four-under 68 to head into the weekend inside the top 10 on a share of eighth at eight-under. George Coetzee’s 69 saw him reach the halfway mark at seven-under in a share of 15th. Zander Lombard’s 67 saw him climb 34 places on the leaderboard to a share of 34th at five-under, while Daniel van Tonder and Thriston Lawrence were in a share of 52nd on three-under. Richard Sterne was the last South African to make the cut, also on three-under.
Jacques Kruyswijk, Darren Fichardt and Justin Walters all missed the cut.
