Amateur Andries van der Vyver will head into the weekend of the Sunshine Tour’s FBC Zim Open just two strokes off the lead of Chilean professional, Tomas Gana.
Related: Tomas Gana leads with 65 in Zim Open
Gana signed for a solid four-under-par 68 at the Royal Harare Golf Club for a tournament total of 11 under par as he continues his quest for a victory in his first Sunshine Tour event of the new season.
But behind him, GolfRSA National Squad member Van Der Vyver impressed with his round of 67 to join Altin van der Merwe (68) in second place on nine under par.
Van Der Vyver has established himself as one of the rising stars of South African golf and will be taking up a scholarship at Augusta University this July. He is also looking for a rare double in this event, having won the Zimbabwe Junior Open.
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Australia’s Austin Bautista, who finished second in this event last year, heads into the weekend in contention on eight under par.
Gana is looking to make his own piece of FBC Zim Open history. After Mexico’s Luis Carrera managed to become the first non-South African winner of the FBC Zim Open in 24 years with his victory last year, Gana is now aiming to keep that trend going.
After teeing off at the 10th, he rolled in four birdies and dropped just one shot on his opening nine. There was only one more birdie for him on his second nine, but it was enough to keep him in the lead.
It was an emotional day for Doug McGuigan, who at the age of 55 made the cut in a tournament where he made his Sunshine Tour debut. McGuigan signed for a second round of 69 and is tied 21st on four under par heading into the weekend.
Defending champion Luis Carrera struggled with a 76 and just made the cut on level par.
