Chacarra leads as Schaper chases in Alfred Dunhill Championship

Eugenio Chacarra - TheGolfingHub
Eugenio Chacarra is well aware that he’ll need to keep pushing against a quality lineup of players near the top of the leaderboard. Photo: Getty Images

Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra will take a two-stroke lead into the weekend of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, with Jayden Schaper his nearest challenger as the young South African pushes for a DP World Tour title for the second week in a row.

Related: Burke, Chacarra lead chasing pack at Alfred Dunhill

Chacarra produced an entertaining 66 that included an eagle and birdie in his opening three holes, back-to-back bogeys in the middle of the round, and then two birdies in his final three holes to lead on 15 under par.

“I started out very well but the conditions were tricky with the wind. I didn’t have my best stuff on the back nine but overall it was good golf, and there is still plenty of golf to play,” he said.

“After my bogeys on 10 and 11 the round could’ve gone a little south so I was pleased with my bounce back and those birdies at the end.”

Chacarra is well aware that he’ll need to keep pushing against a quality lineup of players near the top of the leaderboard.

“This is a golf course where you can go low, and a lot of players can still win. But I know if I execute my gameplan with my caddie and play like I have these past two rounds, I’ll have a good chance come Sunday.”

Schaper is one of those hoping to put some pressure on the leader and he’s done so with a second round of 64 to climb to 13 under par overall. He finds himself in contention for the second week in succession after finishing runner-up in last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player.

“Last week was a good week for me and I just wanted to continue with that. I’ve had to adjust a little to the yardages here, but I’ve done that now. This is a very familiar golf course for me. I’m right where I want to be for the weekend,” he said.

Schaper came close to winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship in 2020 when he finished second to Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

England’s John Parry and South Africa’s Branden Grace head into the weekend on 12 under par after their respective second rounds of 66 and 67.

Former Alfred Dunhill Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen rounds out the current top 10 on nine under par following his second round of 68.