Alan McLean in the Nashua Masters picture
FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
Rookie Jake Redman equalled his best round on the Sunshine Tour when he carded a seven-under-par 63 today in the second round of the R1.2-million Nashua Masters.
After his opening one-under 69, he found himself elevated into a share of fifth at eight-under-par, three behind the lead set by Alan Michell and Branden Grace.
And even Redman’s superb 63 paled into the background as David Hewan, after an inauspicious level-par start in his opening round, came storming home in a bogey-free nine-under 61 to climb into a share of third place, two shots off the lead.
Redman’s round started off with an eagle on the 10th, he followed that with a birdie on the 12th and then a second eagle on the 16th took him to the turn in five-under 30.
He picked up three more birdies in the next six holes, but his fourth bogey on his homeward nine was sandwiched by two bogeys which somewhat undid all his good work.
“It was a bit unfortunate, that ending with the last three holes,” he said, “but I hit good shots. I just got a bit unlucky. I’m pretty happy, though,” he added.
Both he and Hewan completed their rounds in a persistent drizzle after the middle portion of the day had dried up somewhat from the damp start to the day.
“It was quite hard coming back at the end in the rain,” said Hewan, who had five birdies on the front nine for which he carded a five-under 30.
“I had two chip-ins on par-threes,” he said. “If you make three twos on the front nine, it’s always going to look pretty good on the card.
“The back nine, I made two on 11, and then parred 13 and made three out of four coming home,” he said.
“The mind’s telling you when you get to seven-under, ‘Just hold it there,’ but if the putter’s working, the putter’s working,” he laughed.
Jacques Blaauw closed with a birdie on 18 to move into third with Hewan. “It was a bit tough out there with the rain,” he said, “but I’m happy enough to have ground out a 67 and be there for the final two rounds.”
Redman shared fifth with Garry Hill, who added a three-under 67 to his opening 65.
Grace and Michell both started in the morning, and their rounds were mirror-images in terms of weather conditions to those experienced by Redman, Hewan and Blaauw.
Ominously for all of the leaders, Jean Hugo, who has won three times on the Sunshine Tour this year, quietly went about compiling a bogey-free 66 to move to seven-under at halfway, four off the pace.
Scot Alan McLean is only four shots off the pace in joint seventh place after scores of 65 and 68 for 133.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 140 (2x70)
Players from S Africa unless stated
129 Alan Michell 62 67, Branden Grace 62 67.
131 David Hewan 70 61, Jacques Blaauw 64 67. 
132 Garry Hill 65 67, Jake Redman 69 63. 
133 Alan McLean (Scotland) 65 68, Warren Abery 66 67, Alex Haindl 64 69, Mark Murless 68 65, Oliver Bekker 67 66, Jean Hugo 67 66, Ben Mannix (England) 69 64.
134 Jake Roos 64 70, Grant Muller 67 67, Ryan Cairns (Zimbabwe) 67 67, Mark Williams 70 64, Attie Schwartzel 67 67, Charl Coetzee 69 65, Kevin Stone 65 69, Divan van den Heever 67 67.
135 Steve van Vuuren 66 69, Clinton Whitelaw 68 67, Doug McGuigan 68 67, Steven Ferreira 70 65, Sean Farrell (Zimbabwe) 69 66. 
136 Des Terblanche 66 70, Chris Swanepoel 69 67, Louis Moolman 67 69, Colin Nel 69 67, T C Charamba (Zimbabwe) 65 71, Neil Cheetham (England) 68 68, Adilson da Silva (Brazil) 69 67, George Coetzee 66 70, Louis de Jager 69 67, Martin Maritz 70 66.
MISSED THE CUT (140 or better)
141 Ryan Thompson 70 71, Mike Curtis (Zimbabwe) 67 74, Merrick Bremner 69 72, Matthew Carvell 69 72, Francois van Vuuren 67 74, Roberto Lupini 71 70, Nic Henning 70 71, Jaco Ahlers 70 71, Morne Buys 71 70.