Retief Goosen and Tyrone van Aswegen joined Rory Sabbatini in the weekend field after strong showings in the second round at the Wyndham Championship, writes WADE PRETORIUS.

Goosen and Van Aswegen began their second rounds with plenty to do after opening 72 and 71s respectively. Goosen was seven shots better on Friday and birdied two of his last four holes to make the cut on the number.

The veteran South African did not make a single bogey at Sedgefield Country Club during round two as he came out of the blocks firing, with two birdies in his opening four holes. He added another at the 11th to shoot 65 around the par-70 layout.

Van Aswegen sits on the same tally after 36 holes, but his second round did not go according to Goosen’s script. He made three front-nine birdies, but bogeys at 4 and 8 meant that he made the turn in just one-under, leaving himself plenty of work to do to keep his place in the top 125 and advance to the FedExCup playoffs next week.

Four pars to start his inward nine piled on the pressure, but Van Aswegeen responded brilliantly with three birdies in four holes from the 14th, allowing him to par the last and make the cut with a second-round 66.

The best-placed South African at the halfway stage is Rory Sabbatini. He added a second-round 68 to his opening 65 to sit in a share of 19th place – six shots behind co-leaders Webb Simpson and Ryan Armour (61 on Friday).

Henrik Stenson is third, alone on -12 after he fired a 66 in his second round.

South Africa’s fourth and final player – Ernie Els – withdrew and will miss the FedExCup playoffs, as he sits 213 in the standings.

Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images