Van Rooyen keeps pace with level par Friday round
CARNOUSTIE – South Africa's rising star Erik van Rooyen maintained his place on the first page of the Open Championship leaderboard with a level par 71 for the second round at Carnoustie on Friday.
A par save on the 18th after he failed to find the green in regulation helped the European Tour rookie remain at four under for the championship in his first appearance at the highest level.
Van Rooyen dropped just one shot on Thursday but his card showed three bogeys by the time he'd finished the 10th as Carnoustie flared its teeth.
Erik Van Rooyen carded a level par 71 for the second round at Carnoustie on Friday. Photo: Will Oliver/EPA
Birdies at 3 and 7 helped keep the Joburg Open runner-up in good stead with his third birdie, and what proved to be his final for the second round, coming at the 11th. That gained helped restore parity to his round on a day where countrymen Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel both ended over par.
His run towards the clubhouse included seven straight pars with a fist pump on the last releasing some of the pressure built over a battle on one of the world’s toughest courses.