Kyle McClatchie continued his superb recent run of form on Tuesday as he carded an eight-under-par 62 in the rain-delayed first round of the Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour’s Race to Q-School #9 at Centurion Golf Club.
It was a bogey-free performance for McClatchie, who holds a two-stroke lead over his nearest challenger, Nicholas Frade going in to the final round after the tournament was shortened to 36 holes after losing the whole of the first day to a water-logged course. There are five players on five-under in a share of third: Gerhard Pepler, DK Kim, Reinhardt Blaauw, Jason Froneman and amateur Tristan Galant.
McClatchie made three birdies on the front nine, on the first, six and seventh, and he picked up five more going home, on the 10, 12th, 14th, 16th and 17th. Frade was also bogey-free for his 64, with three birdies on each nine.
McClatchie, who first earned his Sunshine Tour card in 2018, but has since lost his playing privileges on that circuit, has already qualified to play in the Sunshine Tour Qualifying School at Heron Banks Golf and River Estate from April 26. He has been using the IGT series to sharpen up as he bids to get back on to the main tour. While he hasn’t won any of the tournaments yet, he has three top-10s from his three starts.
