Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel were unable to make a move on the field in tough scoring conditions at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Friday.
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The Gary Player Country Club tested the field during the second round as strong winds put the European Tour’s best to the test, and not only the visitors had to struggle.
Grace, who played yesterday’s back nine five-under-par, was busy repairing the damage with his front nine on Friday when dangerous weather conditions moved in. Grace is currently three-over-par for the tournament, despite being three under for his back nine with two holes to play.
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The seven-time European Tour winner with a fondness of winning on home soil had four 6’s on his card in quick-fire time as he struggled with his game all morning. Grace bogeyed the second before a double drop at the next. He would make just one birdie on the front nine, and doubles at six and eight to drop out of sight after being on the front page of the leaderboard for long periods of time.
Grace is one of seven players at -1 at the halfway mark. One shot better off is Charl Schwartzel, who battled with himself as much as with the course on Friday.
Schwartzel was regularly seen to be annoyed with himself as he failed to find fairways, and was forced to scramble to keep himself from suffering the same fate as overnight leader Bernd Wiesberger, who was +6 after 15 holes before the suspension in play.
Birdies at 2 and 4 sandwiched a double before another drop at the sixth. Crucially, Schwartzel took full advantage of the par-5s at the turn, getting two shots back. His best game continued to avoid him as he made six straight pars before dropping a shot on the 17th. He was unable to save par from the sand on the last and will start the third round five behind Victor Dubuisson.
The Frenchman, who led alone at one point on Thursday, kept himself at the top of the pile, taking advantage of some good work on the greens. Dubuisson is currently three ahead of surprise local challenger Darren Fichardt, two-time winner Lee Westwood and Scott Jamieson.
Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
