Quietly spoken South African George Coetzee shares the driver’s seat as he seeks to capture a first Race to Dubai victory in the BMW International Open in Munich.
South African George Coetzee shares the driving in the BMW International Open
Drawing on the recent Major’s success of Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, Coetzee is hoping to capture his first Race to Dubai success in this week’s Euro 2m event being played on the Nord-Eichenried course.
The 24-year old Coetzee shares top spot on the leader board at 10-under par with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.
The Swede let slip a two stroke leading cushion in ending his round of 70 with back-to-back bogeys.
Coetzee had taken up golf at the age of 10 and against the wishes of his father who wanted the Pretoria player to become a professional tennis player.
Tennis’ loss has been golf’s gain with Coetzee winning three times on the Southern Africa Tour after an illustrious amateur career that included success in the 2005 South African Amateur and 2006 Western Province Amateur as well as the Northern Amateur Championship that same year.
Coetzee highlighted his second round with an eagle at the par five 11th he was playing as his second.
“I have led a couple of times before so it would be nice to finish one off sooner rather than later,” he said.
“Coming through the Sunshine Tour, it’s nice to see players who you know so well winning Majors, and it’s always been Ernie and Goose, Ernie and Goose, and I’m still a big Ernie and Goose fan, even though only Goose is playing this week.
“But with Louis and Charl now Major winners it is an inspiration to every South African.
“We all want to follow in their footsteps and those of Ernie and Goose.”
But while Coetzee seeks a first Race to Dubai success, the present world No. 126th ranked Stenson is looking to end a two-year winless drought on the European Tour.
Stenson eagled his 15th and the birdied the next to move to 12-under par but then opened the door for his rivals with a pair of closing bogeys.
Spain’s in-form Pablo Larrazabal holed his second shot for eagle at the par four 16th in a round of 67 to be third on nine under par, and just a week before the third anniversary of his superb French Open victory.
Crowd favourite and World No. 3 Martin Kaymer carded a 68 to move to six under par while visiting American Dustin Johnson birdied the last to make the cut with a 71 to move to three under par.
But sitting out the weekend is former BMW International Open winnner Paul Casey despite eagling the last in a score of 73 to finish at one over par.
