Disappointing 74 by Paul Doherty in MENA Tour event

Manchester's McCullen shares led in South Africa

 
REPORT FROM VIREN VARMA

JOHANNESBURG — Rising English star Haydn McCullen and South Africa’s Bryandrew Roelofsz shot matching six-under 65s to share the lead heading into the second round of the South to East Challenge at Zwartkop Golf Club in Centurion, Pretoria, on Tuesday.

McCullen, who won the prestigious McEvoy Trophy in 2014 before turning professional last year, and Roelofsz both reeled off seven birdies against a lone bogey to surge one clear of South Africa’s Siphiwe Siphayi in this MENA Golf Tour event, which is co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Big Easy Tour. 

The South African trio of CJ du Plessis, Andre de Decker and Irvin Mazibuko were tied for fourth a further shot back as 41 players broke par on the opening day.

McCullen, a 19-year-old Manchester-based prodigy, started his round strongly, making birdie on the par-five first hole, and the Englishman said his game plan revolved around hitting as many greens as possible.

“I played well and holed a few putts which always helps. I just played solid. The greens are quite small so I played for the middle most of the time as you can hole a few putts from there,” explained McCullen, who is a member of Chubby Chandler's ISM stable. 

Roelofsz turned in two-under-par, and a solid finish on the back nine saw the Sunshine Tour Qualifyng School graduate sign for an impressive 65.

“It’s tough out there. Obviously, if you’re hitting the ball well you’ll score, but if you aren’t hitting it that well you’ll struggle a bit. I kept it together and played well – came out with a good score so I’m happy,” said Roelofsz.

With Roelofzs making the most of a perfect winters afternoon in Gauteng, McCullen found himself dealing with six-degree temperatures in the morning. 

“Yeah it was really cold. I wish I had my long johns on – I had two jumpers, a woolly hat, standing on the range in the freezing cold. We eventually got round to about the sixth hole and it wasn’t too bad,” said McCullen.

South Africa’s Siphaya finished with a flourish, carding three birdies in a row to sit one shot off the leaders on five-under-par as Thriston Lawrence, the winner of the MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit title in 2015, shot a three-under 68 to move into a tie for seventh, one ahead of an eleven-member group which included England’s Lee Corfield. 

Matt Saulez carded a bogey-free two-under 69 to lead the amateur division, one clear of fellow South African Sentanio Minnie.

The South to East Challenge will be decides over 54 holes of strokeplay with leading 50 professionals and ties making into the final round after the cut which will be made after round two.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

65 - Haydn McCullen (ENG), Bryandrew Roelofsz (RSA)

66 - Siphiwe Siphayi (RSA)

67 - CJ du Plessis (RSA), Andre de Decker (RSA), Irvin Mazibuko (RSA)

68 - Matthew Carvell (RSA), Mark Murless (RSA), Francois Coetzee (RSA), Fredrik Lindblom (SWE), Jaco Prinsloo (RSA), Bradford Vaughan (RSA),Derik Ferreira (RSA), Thriston Lawrence (RSA), Greg Bentley (ZIM)

69 - Lee Corfield (ENG), Bryce Easton (RSA), Conway Kunneke (RSA), Matt Saulez (AMA) (RSA), Jason Diab (RSA), Russel Franz (RSA), Ryan Cairns (ZIM),Bryce McCabe (RSA), Armandt Scholtz (RSA), Jeff Hopkins (IRL), Jason Viljoen (RSA)

70 - Joshua Seale (RSA), Kevin Esteve (AND), Sentanio Minnie (AMA) (RSA), Steven Ferreira (RSA), Tyler Hogarty (RSA), TJ Bekker (RSA), Omar Sandys (RSA),Thanda Mavundla (RSA), Aaron Leitmannstetter (GER), Fredrik From (SWE), Teboho Sefatsa (RSA), Craig Hinton (ENG), Dwayne Basson (RSA), Divan Gerber (RSA),Sixto Casabona-navarro (ESP)

71 - Chris Erasmus (RSA), Antonio Costa (CHL), Toto Thimba (Jnr), Jacques P de Villiers (RSA), Daniel Hammond (RSA), Jesper Alm (SWE), Cameron Esau (RSA),Josh Taylor (ENG), Luke Joy (ENG), Andi Dill (RSA), Kevin Rundle (RSA)

72 - Scott Campbell (ENG), Damian Naicker (RSA), Dongkwan Kim (SKOR), Joe Heraty (ENG), Billy Spooner (ENG), Desne Van Den Bergh (RSA),Mark Chamberlain (ENG), Elliott Oxlade (ENG), Maritz Wessels (RSA), Jaco Mouton (RSA), Michael Dreyer (RSA), Dayne Moore (ZAM), Tyron McComb (RSA),Ruan Pretorius (RSA), Peter Badawy (LEB), Pieter Kruger (RSA)

73 - Gert Myburgh (RSA), Altaaf Bux (RSA), Andre Cruse (RSA), Jordan Garnish (ENG), Bryn Flanagan (RSA), Makhetha Mazibuko (RSA),Evance Vukeya (AMA) (RSA), Keenan Davidse (RSA), Lean Boezaart (RSA), Albie Hanekom (RSA), Sipho Bujela (RSA), Hennie du Plessis (RSA),Etienne Bond (RSA), Derick Petersen (RSA), Antonio Rosado (POR), Wynand Dingle (RSA)

74 - Eddie Taylor (RSA), Riekus Nortje (RSA), Paul Doherty (SCO), Francois van Vuuren (RSA), Brett Liddle (RSA), Calvin Caldeira (RSA), Gideon Pienaar (RSA),Tumie Motale (RSA)

75 - Phumlani Maluka (AMA) (RSA), Jacquin Hess (RSA), Stephen Ferreira (POR), Bryce Bibby (RSA), Thabang Simon (RSA), Gary Munro (ENG),Daniel Owen (ENG), Neal Herman (RSA), N.J. Arnoldi (RSA), Benjamin David (AMA) (ENG), Justin Turner (RSA), Romain Caro (FRA), Mariano Ochoa (ESP),Adam Sagar (ENG), Jason Froneman (RSA)

76 - Gerrit Foster (RSA), Drikus van der Walt (RSA), Stuart Smith (BOT)

77 - Pieter Moolman (RSA), Jeff Inglis (ENG)

78 - Karabo Mokoena (AMA) (RSA), Werner van Niekerk (RSA), Jabulane Mabilane (RSA), Louis Calitz (RSA), Tom Boys (ENG), Edward Barry-Walsh (ENG)

79 - John McClean (NIR)

85 - Louis Campbell (ENG)