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McLardy’s final hole birdie creates three-way tie in Classic

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Andrew McLardy fashioned a superb approach shot to three feet on the par-four 18th hole to set up a thrilling climax going into the final round of the Nelson Mandela Bay Classic golf tournament at Humewood in Gqeberha on Friday.

In his first year on the Sunshine Senior Tour, McLardy’s birdie saw him finish Thursday’s play with a solid round of 68 to join Paul Marks and Gregg Upton on six-under-par 138. Marks produced one of the best rounds of the day, shooting 67 to draw level with overnight leader Upton, joined later by McLardy’s thrilling finish.

He had four birdies on the front nine and although that stretch was marred by two bogeys, Marks produced an excellent run of three birdies in a row from Nos 15 to 17 to finish with a 67 in good conditions.

The leading trio were followed by 2022 champion Doug McGuigan, who came to light on the back nine with four birdies, spoilt only by a disappointing bogey on the short par-four 16th, to finish on an overall total of 140.

McLardy had five birdies and one bogey and said it would be a case of managing the course and the conditions on the final day.

“We will assess what the conditions are because the wind will be stronger and if it’s the same wind as Wednesday, we have a gameplan what to hit off the tee, and finding the fairways is obviously crucial,” he said.

“So we take into account the wind strength and then calculate the distance, and then play the appropriate shaped shot.”

Overnight leader Upton was a little disappointed not to take advantage of the calmer weather after again getting off to a less than promising start.

“In these conditions, the course was there for the taking, but I got off to a bad start, missing a short one the first hole and three-putting the second,” he said.

“But I managed to turn level par with birdies at seven and nine and then birdied all three par-fives on the back nine to get to seven-under, only to hit a bad approach into the bunker on the last and my par putt just slipped past.

“I drove the ball exceptionally well and that does set you up, so I’m fairly well positioned going into the last day.

“But I will play each hole as it comes and the priority will be getting nicely off the tee, so if I can drive well tomorrow I will be happy.”

Michael du Toit produced the second significant highlight of the tournament when he made a hole-in-one on the sixth hole with a terrific shot at the short but testing par-three. This follows the ace Kenneth Dube made on the opening day on the 12th hole.

Using a pitching wedge Du Toit delivered a pin-point tee shot which landed just in front of the hole, took one bounce forward and then spun back into the bottom of the cup.

It was his eighth hole-in-one and, in a remarkable coincidence, was the second time he had aced the sixth hole at Humewood.

“You won’t believe it but many years ago when I was playing on the regular Sunshine Tour, we had winter tour event here and I holed it on exactly the same hole.

“That time I used a seven iron because there was a strong wind coming off the left, and this time it was just a pitching wedge.”

Often referred to as the perfect fluke, Du Toit acknowledged the element of luck involved.

“We all know golf is a difficult game and all you are doing is to make a good, solid swing and to try to hit the green, and they always come when you least expect them.

“But it was fantastic to see it going in.”

The one-shotter helped Du Toit put together respectable round of 68, atoning somewhat for the 76 he had on the opening day.

Leading second round scores:

  • 138 – Gregg Upton 68 70, Paul Marks 67 71, Andrew McLardy 70 68
  • 140 – Doug McGuigan 71 69
  • 141 – Ryan Dreyer 74 67, Kenneth Dube 69 72, Graeme van der Nest 73 68
  • 142 – Wallie Coetzee 73 69, Chris Williams 69 73
  • 143 – Grant Muller 71 72, Brett Liddle 71 72, Hugo Maritz 70 73, Davison Elijah 70 73
  • 144 – Michael du Toit 76 68
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Port Elizabethan

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