Sterne and Fisher lead Joburg Open
BY European Tour | European PGA Tour | 2013 The Joburg Open | Round Two | 09 Feb 2013
Trevor Fisher Junior posted a superb round of 62 on the second day of the Joburg Open to share the lead with his compatriot Richard Sterne at the midway stage of the €1.3million event.
The South African’s nine under par round was just one shot outside Charl Schwartzel’s West Course record at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club, and moved him to 15 under par after an impressive opening effort of 66 on the more challenging East Course.
Fisher Junior’s day got off to the perfect start with an eagle on the par five second hole, and seven birdies followed – with three of them coming in succession from the 15th hole – in a flawless display in Johannesburg, South African’s largest city by population.
The seven-time Sunshine Tour champion: “The last three or four years have been good for me on the Sunshine Tour, but I need to get to the next level now. It’s been good for me in terms of the stepping stones I’ve taken in the last ten years. But I’ve stepped on a lot of stones, so I need to get to the top now.
“I think it’s a case of maturity. I’m a late bloomer unfortunately – I’ve played better as I’ve got older. Last year was good for me. I finished fourth on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, which was my best performance. I’ve given myself chances before this, but I’m not putting any pressure on myself.”
In-form Sterne, second in Dubai last week, is yet to drop a shot, having added a flawless 65 to his opening round of 63 to join Fisher Junior on 15 under par.
He said: “I did the right things and putted well. It’s nice to not be behind going into the weekend.
“But it won’t be easy over the weekend. The players that are five or six back can catch us, so it’s a long way from over.”
Both players, whose 36-hole total is the lowest in the history of the Joburg Open, currently lead by three shots from George Coetzee, while another South African, Schwartzel, is in a group five strokes off the pace.
Coetzee’s quest for a debut European Tour victory has included 21 top ten finishes, but he is in contention to break his duck after signing for a round of 64 on the East Course.
Two-time Joburg Open Champion Schwartzel also moved firmly into contention with a six under par round of 65 on the West Course. The World Number 18 is playing his first tournament of 2013, having signed off 2012 with back-to-back victories by a combined margin of 23 shots.
“I’ve had five and a half weeks nothing, then I started practising a bit,” Schwartzel said of his seven-week absence. “My ball striking is good enough, I’m not putting as well as I was. Those short putts are the ones you have to make to win tournaments.”
Matthew Zions was the best of the Australians although he missed the cut by one.
Second round scores:
128 – Trevor Fisher Jnr 66 62, Richard Sterne 63 65
131 – George Coetzee 67 64
133 – Charl Schwartzel 68 65, Keith Horne 67 66, Felipe Aguilar (CHL) 67 66
134 – Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 68 66, Peter Uihlein (USA) 65 69, Jaco Van Zyl 66 68, Jose Manuel Lara (ESP) 69 65
135 – MJ Daffue 65 70, Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 63 72, David Drysdale (SCO) 68 67, Ricardo Santos (POR) 70 65, Richard Finch (ENG) 67 68, Bryce Easton 65 70, Dean Burmester 67 68, Lorenzo Gagli (ITA) 67 68, Tyrone Mordt 65 70
136 – Tjaart van der Walt 67 69, Darren Fichardt 67 69, Ricardo Gonzalez (ARG) 70 66, Oliver Fisher (ENG) 68 68, Tyrone Ferreira 66 70, Oliver Bekker 68 68, James Kingston 66 70, Bjorn Akesson (SWE) 69 67, Joakim Lagergren (SWE) 65 71
137 – Merrick Bremner 68 69, Tom Lewis (ENG) 72 65, Jacques Blaauw 70 67, Thomas Aiken 67 70, Ockie Strydom 66 71, Ryan Cairns (ZIM) 67 70, Espen Kofstad (NOR) 66 71, James Kamte 70 67, George Murray (SCO) 71 66, Hennie Otto 70 67, Jake Redman 66 71, Joshua Cunliffe 67 70
138 – Brandon Pieters 69 69, Gary Boyd (ENG) 67 71, Garth Mulroy 70 68, Lasse Jensen(DEN) 68 70, Andy Sullivan (ENG) 68 70, Justin Walters 71 67, Graeme Storm (ENG) 76 62, Danie van Tonder 68 70, Alessandro Tadini (ITA) 67 71, Paul Waring (ENG) 71 67, Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 66 72, Jbe’ Kruger 68 70, Steve Webster (ENG) 71 67, David Horsey (ENG) 66 72
139 – Scott Henry (SCO) 69 70, Gregory Havret (FRA) 70 69, Phillip Price (WAL) 68 71, Alexandre Kaleka (FRA) 66 73, Jaco Ahlers 71 68, Justin Harding 69 70, Bradford Vaughan 69 70, Allan Versfeld 66 73, Peter Hedblom (SWE) 72 67, Gary Lockerbie (ENG) 70 69, Lee Slattery (ENG) 67 72, Ulrich van den Berg 71 68, PH McIntyre 72 67, Michael Hollick 70 69, Robert-Jan Derksen (NED) 69 70
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