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 pro 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.
England’s Haydn McCullen on route to a 65 on day one of the MENA Tour’s South To East Challenge.
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.
An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.
Multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Hassan II Trophy and the Maybank Championship Malaysia in addition to full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour and exemptions into the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Q-School for the leading three professionals are some of the added incentives for the MENA Golf Tour members.
Leading Scores:
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)
