SOUTH AFRICAN Wayne Westner produced a magical inward nine of 30 at Durban Country Club yesterday to take a firm grip on the FNB Players' Championship at the halfway stage.
Playing against a stiff southerly wind, the 32 year old, who already has two Tour victories under his belt this year, posted a second round five under par 67 to follow his 66 on Thursday to open up a four shot lead over second placed Jose Coceres of Argentina.
With Thursday's blistering heat and humidity replaced by an overcast sky and strong wind, the golfers were calling less for the water and oxygen than for the long handle of the driver, which in itself can be a dilemma on a course where accuracy means everything.
Westner didn't exactly start in the most thrilling fashion, three putting on the short par three second and going out in one over par 37. After the turn, though, he lit the touch paper, birdying at 10,11,12, 13 and 14. It ought to have been six birdies in a row when his six iron off the tee at the par three 15th landed softly within two feet of the pin.
Uncharacteristically, on a day when everything seemed to drop, he missed the putt. Even so, the rarity of an inward loop of 29 was on the cards when he birdied the 16th, but on the next hole be under clubbed with an eight iron rather than a seven and came up short on the front of the green. Again the three putted to drop a shot but another birdie at the 18th, his seventh on the back nine, meant that he came back in 30.
Four shots ahead of Coceres, Westner is also being chased by Italian Costantino Rocca and the two Britons, Mike McLean and Mark Mouland, on six under and a group of six on five under, which includes Ulsterman David Feherty.
Feherty followed his first round 69 with a solid two under 70 and was easily the best placed of the 10 strong Irish contingent of whom only three, Darren Clarke, David Higgins and Francis Howley failed to make the cut of one over par 145.
Howley in particular has had a nightmare tournament following his first round 81 with 80 yesterday, but he may have drawn some comfort from seeing his vastly more experienced playing partner, Wilhelm Winsnes, take 10 at the picturesque but beguilingly cruel par five third hole.
Des Smyth produced and up and down round of 71, while Paul McGinley, who went round in 69 on Thursday, showed the recovery powers of Lazarus after dropping five shots in three holes to go out in 40. But his inward, nine showed real mettle as he collected two birdies to finish with a 74, one under par for the tournament.
Alongside him is Padraig Harrington playing in only his second major event. If some people put down his first round level par 72 as beginner's luck, they may have to think again after he went round yesterday in 71. After going out in 35, a loop which brought him three birdies and two bogies, Harrington moved to three under for the tournament be dropping shots into the wind at 16 and 17.
