Scottish golfer aiming to make most of South African opportunity
Qualifier Craig Ross comfortably makes cut in Hotel Planner Tour event
Craig Ross is hoping his good week so far in South Africa can be a springboard to flying the Saltire on a regular basis on the newly-rebranded Hotel Planner Tour.
The former Kirkhill amateur secured his spot in this week’s MyGolfLife Open hosted by Pecanwood Estate after coming through an 18-hole qualifier on Tuesday.
After following an opening 68 with the same score on Friday for an eight-under-par total, Ross has now comfortably progressed to the weekend in the second event of the new season on what was formerly called the Challenge Tour.
“I’ve played really solid both days,” said Ross, who came home in four-under 32 in the opening circuit before signing for five birdies in the second round.
“I’ve putted well both days and also chipped well around the greens. The wedges were amazing yesterday while I also holed a couple of putts that kept the round going.”
With the second round set to be completed on Saturday morning after play was halted for a spell due to thunder and lightning, Ross is sitting just outside the top 20.
“Yeah, definitely,” he said of his golf so far this week - he carded a six-under 66 in the qualifier - having been a nice confidence boost.
“I’ve been playing well but the putter hasn’t been working the last few weeks. But I putted better in the qualifier and have taken that into this week, so I am hoping to keep pushing on and get into next week’s event as well.”
Ross, the 2016 South African Amateur champion, currently holds a Sunshine Tour card after finishing joint-fifth in the Qualifying School last year.
But he added: “My aim for the weekend is to try and get in the top ten because my main goal is to get back on the Challenge Tour - sorry, Hotel Planner Tour - but having the option of playing in these co-sanctioned events is great because it gives me a chance to get a few points on the board and hopefully I can play in a few events in Europe as well.”
As home player Daniel Van Tonder, winner of last week’s season-opener, cemented his place at the top of the leaderboard after backing up a first-day 62 with a 66 to sit on 16 under, David Law and Daniel Young both reached the halfway stage one shot behind Ross, with Euan Walker sitting on six.
“You need to be on it with your wedges on this course as there are a lot of times when you have a wedge in your hand from say 70-120 yards after hitting a driver off the tee,” said Ross.
“Yeah, the wedges need to be solid as you are hammering them a lot while you also need to be making birdies as they are quite short apart from the seventh, which is playing long into the wind.”
Asked what his gameplan would be for the weekend, he added: “Just much of the same. I am driving it well and hopefully I can keep that going while getting a few of my wedges a bit closer at the same time and hope the putts keep rolling in as well.”
On the DP World Tour, Richie Ramsay and Connor Syme are both inside the top 20 after the opening two rounds of the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship.
As Englishman Callum Tarren moved into pole position on 13 under, Ramsay sits on six under, one ahead of in-form Syme.
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