Sunshine Tour star Louis Albertse burst clear on the KitKat Cash & Carry Pro-Am on the Irene Country Club.
Being newly married and coming off his most profitable season but could have added some further load onto the broad shoulders of Albertse, however the 26-year-old performed with nice freedom on Friday as he posted an amazing eight-under-par 64 to say a four-shot lead after the second spherical of the KitKat Cash & Carry Pro-Am on the Irene Country Club.
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Claiming eight birdies and an eagle on the 112-year-old parkland course, Albertse will go into the weekend on 14-under-par, together with his nearest challengers being Kyle Barker (64), Wynand Dingle (69) and Sunshine Tour rookie Yurav Premlall (65) on 10-under.
Albertse began slowly
Having been tied for third after his 66 within the first spherical, Albertse began on the tenth gap and took some time to seek out the identical success on Friday and was simply one-under after his first seven holes. But the Dundee Golf Club consultant broke the shackles across the flip, going birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie from the 17th gap to grab the lead. A bogey on the par-three fourth did little to interrupt the momentum as he completed strongly with three extra birdies within the final 5 holes.
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Albertse, who completed a career-best 17th within the 2022/23 Sunshine Tour’s The Courier Guy Order of Merit with seven top-10 finishes, made his eagle on the 368m par-four first gap when he unleashed a superb drive that completed simply wanting the inexperienced and he was capable of putt the ball into the outlet for a two.
“There’s probably a little bit more added pressure when you’re coming off your best season and last week in Zambia wasn’t great, maybe because I was rusty after taking two weeks off to get married,” Albertse stated.
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“But I do know I’m taking part in properly and it’s nearly trusting the method. It’s good to see scores coming in although and by chance all of it turned out in could favour at the moment.
“I’ve a game-plan earlier than the event which I try to observe, however some days are simply higher than others and you’re feeling capable of be extra aggressive and it simply works out.
“I gave myself fairly a number of alternatives at the moment and simply tried to be affected person from the beginning. Having a birdie-bogey begin wasn’t nice, however after that issues began to fall into place and I had a tremendous stretch via the flip after I actually hit second gear.
“It doesn’t happen often, but even then you just try and stay patient, although you take those runs with open arms. And it was an amazing drive on the first,” Albertse smiled.
Sunshine Tour on the transfer
Barker is one other who has carried over his kind from the final Sunshine Tour season, when he broke via by ending 22ndon the order of advantage and received the Stella Artois Players’ Championship at Dainfern Country Club.
The 25-year-old, who moved over to Titleist within the low season, began his spherical with a birdie on the par-five 10th. But he may solely decide up extra photographs on the final two holes of the again 9, earlier than coming residence in model with 4 birdies in his final 5 holes to say the lead earlier than being overtaken by Albertse.
“It was a fantastic morning out there, I drove the ball very nicely and hit most of my targets. My wedges were pretty decent and I putted really well – my putts were in the low 20s,” Barker stated.
Rookie Premlall was additionally highly-impressive together with his 65. The 19-year-old completed his entrance 9 with three birdies and an eagle, after which got here residence with birdies on the par-three 16th and par-five 17th holes.
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