Jbe’ Kruger hung in there on Saturday with a second round of two-under-par 70 in the Japan Golf Tour’s Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open, leaving him in a share of 16th ahead of the final round.
While he is seven shots off the pace set by Juvic Pangunsan of the Philippines, the fact that Pangunsan shot a seven-under 65 to get to 13-under after 36 holes in the 54-hole weather-shortened tournament will give Kruger, who has a penchant for going low, some heart.
Pangunsan’s great second round gave him a three-shot advantage over Katsumasa Miyamoto who was the first-round leader. Dylan Perry of Australia and Rahil Gangjee of India shared third on nine-under.
Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe battled to a four-over 76 in the second round to be one-under for the tournament in a share of 53rd, while last week’s winner on the Japan Golf Tour, Shaun Norris had a five-over 77 and was out of the running at three-over in 105th.
