Elson takes moving day lead at CCJ

England’s Jamie Elson carded a second round five-under 67 to total nine-under and take a one-shot lead in the Joburg City Masters at Country Club Johannesburg on Wednesday.

He came into the second round tied at four-under with six other players, and two strokes back of the leading Jacquin Hess. He opened the round with a pair of pars and then made three birdies and a bogey on his front nine. The Englishman made a bogey, two birdies and an eagle on his homeward stretch. That display was enough for him to climb up the leaderboard on moving day.

“I played really solidly the past two days,” Elson said, “and I’m really confident with my iron-game. I got some really good yardages today and managed to hit some pretty close. It’s just a question of getting it in on the green, you know.”

And, coming from the UK and from a three-week stretch in Thailand, Elson had more than just the strong field assembled in Johannesburg, to contend with. “The main thing is just working out the altitude,” he said of what he needs to work on going forward. “You know, coming from the UK, the ball is flying, I would say, five percent further in the winter time here. I have been to Jo’burg before in the summer time but it was about 10 percent further. So I have got a little conversion thing in my bag that’s been helping me out and it’s been working very well.”

Also shooting 67 was the duo of Jaco Prinsloo and Maritz Wessels. Prinsloo moved into second position on eight-under while Wessels takes third at seven-under for the tournament. Francois Coetzee, Jason Smith and Botswana’s Stuart Smith share fourth on six under-par. Six players, including veteran Omar Sandys, last week’s winner at Ebotse Breyten Meyer and Sean Bradley, are tied at five-under and share seventh spot.

Morne Buys, overnight leaders, Jacquin Hess and Sweden’s Henric Sturehed are all tied at four-under-par.