Davidowitz surges to share of lead in Benoni

Hermanus’ Tyron Davidowitz played himself into contention of this week’s Betway Big Easy Tour event, producing a disciplined two-under-par 70 to total six-under for the week and place himself in a three-way tie for the lead ahead of the final round at Benoni Country Club.

He made 13 pars, four birdies, and a double on his way to the top of the leaderboard on Wednesday.

“It was a good one,” Davidowitz remarked. “I started on the 10^th; birdied that one in the cold. I had the ball on the string but couldn’t make any putts. I hit it to maybe four feet on 18 for eagle but I missed the putt, which was a bit embarrassing. Then, I lost a bit of momentum there and made par on the first hole, the par five.

“I hit one bad shot on three; it put me in a tough place and I walked away with a double-bogey there and then I birdied the last to make lunch taste a little bit better. But, overall, it was a good day. The greens were still fast and firm, so it was not a bad day at all.”

Sharing the lead with Davidowitz is the duo of Brandon Gildenhuys and overnight leader, Martin Vorster. The latter laboured to a one-under 71 to consolidate his spot at the summit of the leaderboard while the former produced a second successive 69 to claim his place at the top.

“I’m very excited for tomorrow,” admitted Gildenhuys who plays out of Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate in Ekurhuleni. “It’s the first time I have to play in the final group in a Betway Big Easy Tour tournament, so it will be a new challenge for me. It will be good to see how my nerves hold up but other than that, I am excited for tomorrow. We’ll take it as it comes.”

Gildenhuys’ round of 69 was characterised by six birdies and three dropped shots

“I know it sounds cliché but for one who has never been in this position on this Tour before, one has to take things one shot at a time,” added Gildenhuys. “At the end of the day, we’re just playing golf; the sport we love, so it’s all good. The pressure is always there but you try to focus on what’s important at that moment.

“Towards the end of today’s round, it was starting to get cold and it became a little tough making birdies towards the end. But, I started really nicely today again; I was driving it superbly again and holed a couple of good putts.”

Making the most of moving day on Wednesday was Bryanston Country Club’s Jaden Deltel whose five-under-par 67 on day two catapulted him to solo fourth on five-under. In a share of fifth on four-under is the duo of Tyrone Ryan and member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, Yurav Premlal. Slade Pickering, Sentanio Minnie and Kyle McClatchie are a shot further and share the seventh spot on the leaderboard.