Staff WriterIt was raining red numbers at Irene Country Club on Friday, and at the eye of the birdie storm stood Jonathan Broomhead—swinging with the swagger of a man who’d found the cheat code to the game.
His nine-under-par 63 catapulted him to the top of the Kit Kat Pro-Am leaderboard, where he now sits at a tidy 15-under-par through two rounds.
Let’s put this into perspective. The man made eight birdies and an eagle.
The only blemish on an otherwise surgical round was a lone bogey—proof he is, in fact, human. Just barely.
“Today was good,” Broomhead said with the understatement of the week. “It’s nice to follow up a round like my 66 yesterday with a round like today.
There is still a lot of golf to play. I am just going to play my game and I’m not focussing on the other players.”
That’s code for: Everyone else better bring their A-game.
It’s been a strong comeback for the three-time Sunshine Tour winner, who took a brief breather after finishing fourth on last season’s Order of Merit.
Now rested, recharged, and clearly dialled in, Broomhead has picked up right where he left off.
“It’s exciting,” he added. “I had a bit of a break after last season so it’s nice to get back into things.
Some form here is always nice and I hope to keep it going for the next few weeks.. The body is feeling good, the swing is feeling good, so we will see how it goes.”
Just one shot back is Mexico’s Luis Carrera, who’s clearly not in South Africa just for the sunshine.
Fresh off his maiden Sunshine Tour win at the FBNC Zim Open, Carrera carded a solid 67 to stay well within striking distance at 14-under. The man’s confidence is sky-high—and rightly so.
“It was a great week last week. It gave me some confidence,” Carrera said. “I am playing some good shots, putting the ball in play, and that gives me a good chance to attack pins this week.”
Then there’s JC Ritchie, who closed with fireworks—an eagle and two birdies in his final four holes to post a spicy 66.
That moves him to 13-under and keeps him firmly in the mix heading into the weekend.
Lurking just a few paces behind the leaders are Sunshine Tour veterans Dylan Frittelli and Trevor Fisher Jnr, both sitting at 12-under after two rounds. Frittelli, in particular, looked ready to roll with a sizzling 63 of his own.
So as the Kit Kat Pro-Am heads into moving day, it’s shaping up to be a scrum at the summit.
Broomhead may be leading the pack, but with Carrera charging, Ritchie roaring, and Frittelli finding his groove, there’s plenty of heat still to come.
And if Friday was any indication, we’re in for one sweet weekend at Irene.
