Patience rewarded, insists Larrazabal

Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal felt his patience was rewarded after claiming the halfway lead in testing conditions in the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Larrazabal was one of just five players in the 156-man field to break 70 at Leopard Creek, a 69 leaving the 36-yearold on nine under par, three shots ahead of home favourite Branden Grace and overnight leader Wil Besseling.

“It was a good job,” said Larrazabal, who again declined the option to play in shorts due to the extreme heat.

“It wasn’t an easy day, the wind was swirling around and gusting so on this golf course, as tight as the targets are, it was tough.

“We’re used to the heat and the wind helped to control the heat a little bit. The golf course wasn’t playing easy. To take the right club today was very tricky and the greens are drying.”

Seeking a fifth European Tour title and a first since 2015, Larrazabal double bogeyed the par-three seventh after hitting his tee shot into the water, but started the back nine with fourstraight birdies, including from 80 feet on the 12th.

“I did a big mistake on the seventh, I didn’t trust what my game plan was and made a double bogey, but I thought I’m playing well enough to start making birdies again so that’s what I did,” Larrazabal added.

“I had a lot of patience out there. I know I am playing good, I know I am playing aggressive enough to make birdies and get in a run and if I am patient, the putts are going to drop.”

England’s Marcus Armitage, who regained his playing rights via the qualifying school recently, is five shots off the lead after a second consecutive 70 left him four under par alongside compatriot Jack Singh Brar and South Africa’s Thomas Aiken.

Scotland’s David Drysdale and Grant Forrest, who began the day three shots off the lead, struggled to rounds of 77 and 79 respectively but made the halfway cut which fell at three over par.

Connor Syme comfortably made the cut on level par but the Drumoig man would have been disappointed in his second round 75.

Kinross’s Calum Hill will also be playing at the weekend. He was two over for 36 holes (two rounds of one over).

Pablo Larrazabal: Halfway lead at Alfred Dunhill Championship.