Jean Hugo’s experience came the fore in the weather-affected second round of the Sun Wild Coast Sun Challenge as he opened up a five-shot lead.
Hugo carded an impressiv 65, backing up his opening 60 to total 15-under-par in Port Edward.
Taking a one-shot lead into the second round, Hugo went straight to work making two birdies in his first three holes. It didn’t end there because he made further gains when he picked up another birdie on the par-five seventh hole to turn without dropping a short.
Two pars followed before he made another birdie – on the 12th hole. Three holes later, the 18-time Sunshine Tour winner made another birdie on the par-five 16th which was followed by his first bogey in this tournament on 17 before closing with a birdie to sign for a 65.
‘Today was much tougher, you know,’ he said.
‘From the start, there was heavy wind; slightly different to yesterday. Today I had an indifferent start but I kept going. I saw there were some scores to be made out there, some guys did post a number. So, it was tough but I played, maybe not as well as yesterday, but it was close. So, I think I’ve done well.’
With the wind and rain threatening to derail an unfocused golfer, Hugo had to rely on years of experience to post another brilliant round as he looks for his first win in four years.
‘In this weather, you kind of wait for the right holes to attack and there weren’t that many today. At the end, at least, the wind died down and you could go for different lines. 16 and 12 were always going to be tough. Getting to those holes, and you feel like you’re playing well, you can attack and if not, you just go middle of the green, I think, and get out of there with a par.’
Of his only bogey in the tournament so far, Hugo said: ‘I was a bit greedy on 17 after the birdie I made on 16.’
Five shots behind lies Ruan de Smidt, who regained his Tour card via Qualifying School back in March. He signed for a 65 to get to 10-under, and in the weather conditions such as these, within reach of Hugo’s lead.
De Smidt made three birdies on the front nine and a solitary eagle when coming home.
‘It’s been a little scrappy, the way I’ve been hitting it in the last two days,’ De Smidt admitted. ‘But I’m putting really nicely and not making too many mistakes, which is also nice. Since I started with the armlock putter five months ago, it’s definitely changed my game. I’m hitting the driver well, which makes it a little easier.’
Jaco Ahlers is in third position at eight-under while Luke Jerling is a further eight shots behind Hugo.
Ruan Conradie and Chris Cannon share fifth at six-under and at five-under-par and in a share of seventh are Estiaan Conradie, the returning Hennie du Plessis who was runner-up last year, rookie Clinton Grobler, Jaco Prinsloo and Zambia’s Dayne Moore.
Second round leaderboard:
125 – Jean Hugo 60 65
130 – Ruan de Smidt 65 65
132 – Jaco Ahlers 63 69
133 – Luke Jerling 67 66
134 – Ruan Conradie 70 64, Chris Cannon 67 67
135 – Estiaan Conradie 68 67, Hennie du Plessis 64 71, Clinton Grobler 68 67, Jaco Prinsloo 68 67, Dayne Moore 68 67
136 – Merrick Bremner 68 68, JC Ritchie 65 71, Keenan Davidse 68 68, CJ du Plessis 67 69
137 – Louis Albertse 69 68, Chris Swanepoel 67 70, Callum Mowat 61 76, Titch Moore 68 69
138 – Jacques Blaauw 67 71, Jonathan Agren 69 69, Divan van den Heever 67 71, Doug McGuigan 70 68, Anton Haig 71 67, Neil Schietekat 65 73, Scott Campbell 68 70, Franklin Manchest 64 74
139 – Dylan Naidoo 66 73, Toto Thimba 69 70, Martin Rohwer 69 70, Christiaan Basson 68 71, Oliver Bekker 69 70, Michael Palmer 69 70, Roberto Lupini 65 74
140 – Juran Dreyer 71 69, Theunis Bezuidenhout 69 71, Teaghan Gauche 65 75, Hennie Otto 70 70, Jean-Paul Strydom 71 69, Matthew Rushton 68 72, Jared Harvey 73 67, Deon Germishuys 71 69, Colin Nel 71 69, Andre De Decker 71 69, Ruan Korb 69 71
Missed the cut:
141 – Lyle Rowe 64 77, Trevor Fisher Jnr 68 73, Fredrik From 70 71, Francois van Vuuren 69 72, Greg Snow 68 73, Ryan Cairns 72 69, Yubin Jung 66 75, DK Kim 68 73
142 – Jake Redman 71 71, Benjamin Follett-Smith 69 73, Wallie Coetsee 69 73, Alex Haindl 68 74, Duane Keun 71 71, Ruan Botha 71 71, Garth Mulroy 70 72, Thanda Mavundla 71 71, Jonathan Waschefort 71 71
143 – Wynand Dingle 70 73, Rhys West 69 74, Daniel van Tonder 68 75, Herman Loubser 72 71, David McIntyre 70 73, Arno Pretorius 69 74, Darin de Smidt 66 77
144 – Combrinck Smit 72 72, James Hart du Preez 76 68, Aubrey Beckley 70 74, MJ Viljoen 68 76, Luke Mayo 74 70, Hayden Griffiths 72 72
145 – Daniel Greene 71 74, Kyle McClatchie 72 73, Derick Petersen 73 72, Ockie Strydom 69 76, Breyten Meyer 70 75, Jason Diab 70 75, Marco de Beer 73 72, Luke Brown 71 74, Altaaf Bux 71 74
146 – Steve Surry 68 78, Stefan Wears-Taylor 70 76
147 – Andrew van der Knaap 71 76, Heinrich Bruiners 73 74, Caylum Boon 72 75, Adriel Poonan 72 75
148 – Philip Geerts 75 73, Peetie van der Merwe 75 73, Andrew Odoh 72 76, Dylan Mostert 76 72, Andrew Curlewis 74 74, Ryan O’Neill 73 75
149 – Jade Buitendag 73 76, Paul Boshoff 76 73, Jacques P de Villiers 73 76, Kyle Barker 75 74, Wayne Stroebel 75 74, Nicholaus Frade 75 74
150 – Ruan Huysamen 68 82, Tyrone Ryan 79 71, Pieter Moolman 74 76
151 – Andre Nel 71 80, CJ Levey 78 73
152 – Hendrikus Stoop 73 79, Christopher Van der Merwe 79 73
153 – Makhetha Mazibuko 77 76
156 – Lwazi Gqira 74 82
158 – Joe Nawanga 78 80
DSQ – Eugene Marugi DSQ DSQ
