Hobday in 3-way tie for lead

2008-09-04 18:21

Johannesburg - Former US Senior Open champion Simon Hobday opened with a level par 72 to place him in a three-way tie for the lead going into Friday's final round of the Deloitte Spring Invitational on the new South African Senior Tour.

Hobday, Robbie Stewart and Albert Swartz all share the lead in the 36-hole tournament at Dainfern Country Club.

The trio lead by one over Trevor Fisher and Richard Lyon. Solly Sepeng, who won the 1998 Vodacom Senior Classic at Dainfern, opened with a round of 74.

Tertius Claassens, Jeff Hawkes and John Mashego all signed for rounds of 77, while Theo Manyama carded a 78 to make the cut of 30 players who will contest Friday's final round.

Stewart was delighted with his performance, considering he hadn't played too much golf coming into this event.

"I think this must have been my second full 18 holes in about four weeks," said the 55-year-old, who also scored a hole-in-one on the par-three fourth when he holed out with an eight iron from 143m.

Stewart started well and was one under through seven holes. But then he stumbled to four consecutive bogeys on holes eight, nine, ten and 11.

Eagle on the eighth

"I made those bogeys from the middle of the fairway, which was pretty frustrating," said Stewart.

His playing partner Hobday didn't get off to the best of starts when he double bogeyed the first after driving into the hazard. Hobday then bogeyed the seventh before hitting back with an eagle on the eighth.

After the string of bogeys, Stewart found his scoring touch on the back nine and collected birdies at the 12th and 15th holes. That left him and Hobday at one over playing the 18th, which they both birdied to get back to level par for the day.

This is the first of ten tournaments on the new Senior Tour, all of which have been underwritten by promoters SAIL Sport and Entertainment who were delighted that the first tournament has teed off.

"We have recognised the long-term potential in the Senior Tour and believe that SAIL can bring the commercial elements to enhance the talent and skill of our top senior golfers and create the perfect partnership," said promoter Michelle van Eyden.

- SAPA