SA's Dean Burmester is in a tie for fourth at the Open at the halfway stage. Picture: Kevin C Cox/Getty Images
Ireland’s Shane Lowry leads the way at the halfway mark of the 152nd Open Championship being played at Royal Troon in Scotland this week, with South Africa’s Dean Burmester right in the mix, just five shots behind.
Lowry, who won the Open at Royal Portrush in 2019, is on seven-under-par after a second round 69. In joint second are England’s Justin Rose and Dan Brown (five-under-par) with Burmester, Billy Horschel (USA) and Scottie Scheffler (USA) a further three shots back of Lowry at two-under-par.
Burmester shot a second round 69 to go with his opening 71. On Friday he made four birdies and two bogeys, with pars on his other holes.
On Saturday, for the third round, he will tee it up alongside the world’s number one ranked golfer, Scheffler, at 4.25pm (SA time) in the third to last grouping.
Four players are one-under-par, including Major champions Xander Schauffele and Jason Day, while a further four Major winners sit at one-over-par, namely Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Collin Morikawa.
The two other South Africans who made the halfway cut after Friday’s second round are Thriston Lawrence, who is tied 28th at three-over-par, and Darren Fichardt, who is tied 69th at six-over-par.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+7), Louis Oosthuizen (+8), amateur Altin van der Merwe (+11), and Ryan van Velzen (+13) missed the cut. Ernie Els withdrew after the first round with a back injury. He will also miss next week’s senior Open.
Other notables to miss the cut include Rory McIlroy (+11), Bryson DeChambeau (+9), Ludvig Aberg (+9), Cameron Smith (+12) and Tiger Woods (+14).
