The East Rand’s Vaughn van Deventer shrugged off pain from a spider bite and soldiered to a four-under-par 68 in round two of the Betway Big Easy Tour’s third tournament, taking a one-shot lead on six-under in the process.
Bitten by a spider in Ballito a few days before this event, the State Mines Country Club player was reluctant to tee it up at Glenvista Country Club this week but decided – at the last minute – to enter his name for the event.
A measured two-under 70 on day one gave him confidence and on Tuesday, his decision to play this week was vindicated.
“So, I got bitten by a spider sometime last week,” started Van Deventer, “and I was thinking of withdrawing from this week. What’s crazy is that I didn’t practice much last week. So, I just tried to take it as it came; played every shot the best I could and it worked today.”
Van Deventer started with a birdie on the 1st but those gains were soon taken, as he dropped on the 2nd. He recovered swiftly, however, and birdied the 3rd, 5th and 7th holes for a front-nine 33.
Coming home and after a par on 10, Van Deventer took full advantage of the par-five 11th, birdieing that hole to give himself a chance in the final seven holes of his round.
His joy was short-lived, though, as he gave away shots on both par-threes on that stretch – the 13th and 15th.
Once again, Van Deventer showed some big-match temperament as he birdied the 16th and 17th holes to seal a round of 68.
“I didn’t know my score while I was playing and to shoot 68 was pretty cool,” Van Deventer said. “It was a bit more challenging yesterday but the wind kind of died down today. It was actually a very good weather to play good golf and I capitalised on the good weather.”
He knows he will have to replicate his strong second-round showing in the final round where he will be in the last group out. He will be joined by rising star Leon Vorster and veteran Ulrich van den Berg in the group. Both players are one shot off the pace and both will know that a single shot lead can always be overturned.
A shot further lies Warwick Purchase, Englishman Joe Knox, Zimbabwe’s David Amm and member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, Nikhil Rama.
Amm was particularly impressive on day two and his seven-under 65 catapulted him into contention for this week’s title.
