DAVID LAW LEADS BY ONE AT HALFWAY IN S AFRICAN CHSHIP

FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLF ASSOCIATIONA WEBSITE
Overnight leader David Law from Aberdeen opened a yawning four-shot gap in the morning but found his advantage cut to just one by the end of the second round of the South African Amateur stroke-play championship at the Mount Edgecombe course today.
Playing in the last match of the day, French international Alexander Levy matched the  Scottish pacemaker's five-under-par 67 to finish the first half of the 72-hole tournnament a stroke behind Law, perched at 13-under-par 131.
Local favourite Jared Harvey produced a seven-under-par 65 to launch within striking distance of the leaders. He joined South Africa’s number one, Danie Van Tonder, who also clocked in with a 67, on 10-under-par 134.
Law came to within two shots of matching the tournament’s 36-hole record, set by Dean Lambert with rounds of 62 and 67 at Oppenheimer Park in 2001. He slipped just once, three-putting on 18 for a pesky bogey.
“I still can’t manage to find a round without a bogey,” Law mused immediately after his round, but then consoled himself with the fact that he produced two rounds of rare quality to lead the tournament.
“Conditions were a wee bit calmer out there today,” he said. “I was very solid from tee to green and didn’t put myself into any trouble.”
Although Law described his round as "pretty boring" compared to the eagle and hole-in-one in the first round dished up, his putting was precise enough to convert six of those chances into birdies.
“Just the putter was a little cold,” he said. “I’m playing nice, but it could have been lower. You want to go out there and try to get yourself as far away from the field as possible, so it’s a great place to be.
“It’s certainly something to build on for the last two rounds.”
As expected, Levy is right up there in the fight, but the anchor for the winning French team at the 2010 Eisenhower trophy admitted he found the going tough after the turn.
The Frenchman stormed out of the blocks with bogey at the second, sandwiched among a string of four birdies over the first five holes. He completed the outward nine in 32 but limped home in 35.
“I started fast but I got just too tired on the back nine, because it’s too hot,” protested Levy.“Maybe tomorrow, the breeze will come back. That will be much better.”
But the Frenchman was quick to point out that there were two rounds left and the tournament wasn’t over by a long stretch. “There are 36 holes left, so it’s anyone’s tournament. Me, of course I will try to win. So will Law and every South African here.”
Harvey erased a bogey at his second hole with successive birdies and an eagle but still finds himself with all the chasing to do in the final two rounds.
“I was out of the running yesterday and edgy when I started this morning, but that little run settled me down,” said the 22-year-old from Umhlanga. “Now I just have to keep the momentum going.”
Although scoring on average improved by three shots in mild conditions, not even a 20 shot swing was enough to lift Michael Dixon above the cut-line.
The Bryanston-based golfer retaliated with a second 68 but still finished on six-over-par, two shots over the cut set at 148.
But Law will have a chance again in the third round to try for that bogey-free round again and maybe, wrap up the tournament in his favour. “Today, I really thought I had it,” he said. “There’s always tomorrow.”
There were several other good performances by the Scots squad who are in South Africa for an eight-week stay.
Paul Shields' 65 was one of the lowest rounds of the day. He came back in 32nd and is sharing 14th position on 139 with Scottish champion Michael Stewart (71-68) and Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol (71-68).
Southerness youngster Scott Gibson is second only to David Law in the Scottish hit parade. Scott is in joint eighth place on 137 with rounds of 69 and 68 (33-35.
Ross Kellett also broke 70 with a 68 to be joitn 20th on 141 alongside Greg Paterson (71-709) and Peterhead's Philip McLean (71-70).
Scottish Alliance champion Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh made the cut right on the limit mark of 148 with a second-rund 73. An outward half of 35 seemed to suggest he would make it with something to spare but the second nine cost him 38 shots and put the pressure on over the closing holes.
James White (Lundin) was the only Scot to miss the cut. He had not one but a pair of 7s in a second-round 78 for 150, two shots to many.

LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
131 David Law 64 67.
132 Alexander Levy 65 67.
134 Jared Harvey 69 65, Danie Van Tonder 67 67.
135 Stephen Pienaar 69 66.
136 Daniel Hammond 71 65, Edouard Espana 68 68.

REST OF SCOTS' SCORES
137 Scott Gibson 69 68 (33-35) (T8).
139 Michael Stewart 71 68 (35-33, Paul Shields 74 65 (33-32), Kris Nicol 71 68 (36-32) (T14).
141 Ross Kellett 73 68 (34-34), Greg Paterson 71 70 (34-36), Philip McLean 71 70 (34-36) (T20).
148 Jordan Findlay 75 73 (35-38).
MISSED THE CUT (148 or better qualified)
150 James White 72 78 (40-38).
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