adminThe South Africa, who is currently leading the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, consolidated his position as one of the in-form golfers on the tour when he carded a three under-par 69 after the second round yesterday.
Firchardt, winner of the Zimbabwe Open in 2001, carded 34 on the front nine as he laced his game with two birdies on the hole four par three and hole six before making a further two birdies on the 12th and 14th holes on the home nine.
A bogey on the par four hole 13th pegged him back but his round was still good enough for the lead.
In his first round Fichardt, who said he was a little rusty, sunk a fine six-under par 66 and was the joint leader with Italian Aaron Zimmer and Darryn Lloyd.
Going into the third round today, Fitchard is sitting on nine under-par 135 while Jake Roos, who at one time yesterday sat at the top of the leader board, is on 136 after a five under-par 67.
Defending champion Chris Swanepoel is on three under par.
Roos played the same ball with Fichardt and Swanepoel.
Sixty three golfers who will battle in the third and fourth rounds.
Roos’ game yesterday was highlighted by two eagles and four birdies while he dropped shots on four holes to steer one shot clear of Louis de Jager, Lloyd and Ulrich van de Berg who are on 137.
Lloyd made six birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on the par five hole 16 to finish on one under yesterday.
Former champion Thenius Spagenberg is tied with three other players on 138 as the South African golfers occupied the slots in the top 10.
Zimbabwe’s Ryan Cairns is lumped with four other players in 20th place after scoring a two under- par 70 yesterday, having opened his account with a one under on Thursday.
Cairns, who is a vocalist with the contemporary music outfit Jaded Aces, is the best placed Zimbabwean professional. The United States-based Zimbabwe teenage sensation, Sean Crocker, failed to repeat his magical first round show when his three under par 69 caught the eye.
He could only manage a two-over par 74 yesterday, for a one-under par total, to make the cut, which is a decent return from a 16-year-old.
Crocker played well on the front holes when he shot three birdies that were however tainted by two dropped shots but he struggled on the back nine. He started badly, making a bogey on consecutive holes but appeared to have recovered with a birdie on the 12th hole but then made a double bogey on the next.
“Getting 74 is not very bad for me,” said Crocker.
“I think I played well until the ninth hole but I sort of lost the nerve after the break and made a bogey. Thereafter it was a bogey after a bogey and I dropped shots. But in the end I am very happy to have made the cut in my first tournament against the professionals.”
Crocker said he was trying to remain calm in the next two rounds as he aims for a better placing.
“I am going to get a rest tonight and hope to keep my head low tomorrow,” he said.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda