Louis Oosthuizen made the clubhouse on six under par after thunderstorms forced suspensions in play at Gary Player Country Club during the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Friday.
The 2010 Open Champion birdied the 10th and 11th to get within sight of leaders Fabrizio Zanotti and Alex Noren, then birdied the 17th to close the gap to a single stroke.
Oosthuizen was six under par for the tournament after a superb Friday round that comprised six birdies and no dropped shots.
Zanotti made the first-ever hole in one at the Nedbank Golf Challenge when he aced the fourth with a seven-iron from 120 yards. The Paraguayan rode that momentum and turned in 32 before coming off the course the first time at 2.08pm. He returned to play another seven holes and added birdies at the 10th and 14th, then dropped a shot at the 17th before coming off the course once again.
Hole-in-One Alert! 💯
Courtesy of @fabrizanotti. https://t.co/SnUORZVgTl
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 11, 2016
Noren, a three-time winner on the European Tour this year, made five birdies and three bogeys before coming off with two holes to play.
Jaco van Zyl was also six under par for the tournament when lightning forced an overnight suspension to the second round.
SA SCORES (total vs par):
Louis Oosthuizen – T3(-6)
Jaco van Zyl – T3(-6)
George Coetzee – T6(-5)
Branden Grace – T9(-4)
Thomas Aiken – T17(-1)
Richard Sterne – T21(par)
Retief Goosen – T21(par)
Charl Schwarzel – T58(+6)
Brandon Stone – T66(+8)