South Africans Erik van Rooyen and MJ Daffue battled their way to a foursomes total of two-under-par 70 on Friday in the second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the only team event of the season on the PGA Tour.
That moved the team to 10-under for the tournament, but that left a yawning gap of six strokes between them and the leaders, Beau Hossler and Wyndham Clarke of the United States, who carded a five-under 67 on their way to a 36-hole total of 16-under. They were one clear of Keith Mitchell of American and Sungjae Im of South Korea, and of another American duo, Doc Redman and Sam Snyder with a round of betterball and a round of foursomes left.
In a format the Americans call ‘alternate shot’, Van Rooyen and Daffue made three birdies and a bogey, while the leaders made five birdies without dropping a shot.
Dylan Frittelli and his partner, German Matti Schmid, overcame two early bogeys on the 10th and the 12th after starting their round the 10th, and made three birdies on their opening nine and three more on their homeward nine. They moved to 10-under with their four-under second round to be in a share of 29th.
