McKibbin continues card push in South Africa
Oliver Hundebøll. Credit: Sunshine Tour
TOM McKibbin continued his push for a DP World Tour card at the Challenge Tour’s Limpopo Championship in South Africa.
The Holywood teenager (19) is already 13th in the Road to Mallorca standings with the top 20 at the end of the season earning automatic promotion.
But he was the only Irish player to make the halfway cut at Euphoria Golf Club, where he made five birdies in a two-under 70 to share 30th on six-under-par, eight shots behind Denmark’s Oliver Hundebøll.
Kinsale’s John Murphy missed the five-under cut by three shots as mixed four birdies with four bogeys in a 70 to finish on two-under.
Paul Dunne knew he had to back up Thursday’s 66 on the easier Koro Creek course with a good round at more demanding Euphoria but instead made four bogeys and a double-bogey in a 78 to miss the cut by five shots as Richard O’Donovan ended on seven-over after a 72 at Koro Creek.
Leader Hundeboll (22) fired a nine-under-par, bogey-free 63 at Koro Creek to take a one-shot lead at halfway.
The 22-year-old, who secured his maiden European Challenge Tour title at the recent Mangaung Open, carded nine birdies on day two at Koro Creek Golf Club to move to a 14 under par total following his five-under-par opening round at Euphoria Golf Club, with the tournament played over both courses.
The Dane found water with his approach on the par-five 18th hole at Koro Creek but managed to brilliantly get up and down to save par and move one stroke ahead of Germany’s Nick Bachem, who also carded a nine-under-par 63 at the same course, to sit in second place on 13 under par.
Hundebøll has made a fantastic start to the 2022 Road to Mallorca, currently sitting in fifth position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, as he looks to gain promotion to the DP World Tour. He admits he takes inspiration from countrymen Marcus Helligkilde, who topped the Rankings in 2021 and twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard, who have both won on the DP World Tour.
“I really enjoyed it out there today,” he said. “It was a solid day and I felt that I could attack this course and make a lot of birdies. I hit a lot of fairways, hit it close to the pins and putted really well.
“I wanted to make birdie or eagle on the 18th and thought I had a perfect eight iron into the green. Unfortunately, I found the water but made a great up and down to make par.
“I didn’t think I would be playing this well in South Africa but now I am here I’ve already picked up my first win and now I am looking for a second. I’m just going to enjoy my final few days here in this amazing country.
“Marcus Helligkilde gives me lots of inspiration and also the Højgaard twins because they are such good friends and they are all doing so well. It gives me motivation to join these guys on the DP World Tour next season.”
South African Bryce Easton is in third place on 11 under par, while his fellow countryman Heinrich Bruiners, Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist and German Max Rottluff are one shot further back on ten under.
Spaniard Emilio Cuartero Blanco, Dutchman Lars van Meijel and South African’s Ockie Strydom and Luke Jerling and Hennie du Plessis share seventh place on nine under par.
The third round of the Limpopo Championship will begin at 7 am and take place at Euphoria Golf Club only, with Hundebøll teeing it up alongside Easton and Bachem in the final group at 8:50 am.
