Rowan Lester and Liam Grehan will have to return to St Francis’ Links on Saturday morning to complete their second rounds at the Sunshine Tour’s Fitch and Leedes PGA Championship after play was suspended for lightning.
Lester began the day at two-under after firing an opening round of 70, and he remained on that number through six holes in round two, trading one bogey and one birdie, but had slipped 21 places down the leaderboard as all the early starters completed their rounds.
Grehan took four strokes more on day one, but playing a couple of groups ahead of his fellow countryman, managed to pick up one stroke. The K Club man started on the 10th in round two, and after a birdie and a bogey over his first eight, signed off with a birdie on the 18th before the klaxxon sounded.
Tied for 66th, he’ll need to play the remaining nine in a couple-under at least if he’s to make it three made cuts in a row.
Samuel Simpson retained his lead as the South African climbed to 10-under-par overall through 12 holes of his second round when play was suspended.
He is currently one stroke clear of Deon Germishuys, who had also completed 12 holes when play was suspended.
Joe Long made it into the clubhouse on eight-under-par with a second round of 69.
Simpson’s gameplan for the day was to keep the ball in play and focus on making pars. He started his second round exactly in that way, with seven consecutive pars. He had a bogey on the eighth hole, but then birdied three of his next four holes.
“Fairways and greens are the top priority around here. It takes a lot of the stress away, so my gameplan is to just make pars. I’m trying to put the ball in the best places possible and manage my misses as best I can. If I can keep hitting the greens in regulation, hopefully I will be OK,” he said.
The second round will resume at 07:00 on Saturday morning.
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