Darren Fichardt and Dean Burmester, both one back starting the second round, finished inside the top 20 heading into the weekend at the prestigious BMW PGA.
Rory McIlroy’s second round 65 was good enough to keep himself three clear at Wentworth on a day when the South African contingent struggled to produce the kind of low scores on offer at the Virginia Water course.
Burmester settled for a 73 to join Trevor Immelman and Erik van Rooyen in the bunch at -5, eight back of the Northern Irishman’s tally. Burmester’s round was stunted by a double and a bogey to conclude his outward nine with an eagle on the 12th helping restore some parity before seven pars to close.
Fichardt joined Branden Grace at -6 with the experienced Pretoria-born star needing a birdie at the last to finish level for his second round. Grace matched his opening 69 with another on Friday as he looks to add to his eight European Tour titles.
Brandon Stone, Haydn Porteous and Jacques Kruyswijk all finished at -1 and on the cut number as they look to play their way up the leaderboard and take some of the Rolex Series riches on offer. Porteous’ 69 was one better than his two countrymen with all three reversing over par opening efforts on Friday to make the weekend grade.
As many as six South Africans will not be around for the final 36 holes with Dylan Frittelli (73), Richard Sterne (68) and Thomas Aiken (E) all missing the number by one.
