On a windy day, Erik van Rooyen showed his resolve as well as his ability in tough conditions on Friday with a second-round of one-under-par 71 giving him a share of 10th and keeping him in contention in the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links in the UAE.
On a day on which the best score was just three-under, Van Rooyen’s 36-hole total of four-under-par meant he goes into the weekend just three shots off the lead held jointly by Scott Jamieson of Scotland and England’s James Morrison. Viktor Hovalnd, Ian Poulter and Julien Brun were in a share of third on six-under.
Van Rooyen had a great start to his round after beginning on the 10th, as he held things together with a birdie on the 11th and all pars for the rest ahead of the turn as the wind played havoc with many scorecards. He picked up another birdie immediately after the turn, but dropped two shots in a row on the second and third to slip back to level-par. But he made a good birdie on the par-three eighth to get back into red figures and put himself in a good position for the weekend.
Next best of the South Africans was Justin Harding, whose experience in windy conditions came in handy during his level-par 72. That put him in a share of 14th at three-under. Charl Schwartzel battled to a four-over 76 to be in a share of 24th on one-under, while Justin Walters had a superb one-under to move to one-over for the tournament in a share of 42nd. Brandon Stone was one shot further back in a share of 51st after a level-par 72, together with Daniel van Tonder who had a 75.
George Coetzee, Garrick Higgo, Richard Sterne, Darren Fichardt and Oliver Bekker missed the cut.
