Guerrier leads at Sun City after tough second round

Frenchman Julien Guerrier carded a rollercoaster 68 on Friday to take a one-shot lead at the halfway mark of the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, topping the leaderboard with a modest tournament total of five under-par.

Guerrier, who claimed a maiden DP World Tour title in Andalusia in October, sank eight birdies but also carded four bogies as all players found the back nine in particular a challenge in the second round.

Defending champion Max Homa (75) from the United States looked set to top the leaderboard until he suffered consecutive double-bogeys on the par-three 16th hole and the par-four 17th. He is in tied fourth on three under-par for the tournament.

Home golfer Ockie Strydom (73) was also in a strong position going into the back nine, but a double-bogey on the par-four 13th and further dropped shots on 15 and 17 dropped him back to four under-par, one shot behind Guerrier.

Another Frenchman, Romain Langasque, is also a shot behind compatriot Guerrier after he carded a 70 on Friday. He might have had a share of the lead but bogeyed the par-four 18th.