IRELAND'S golfers had a mixed day under another baking sun in the second round of the Dimension Data Pro Am Tournament at Sun City yesterday.
Cork's John McHenry followed up his first round of 72 with a one under par 71 on the Lost City layout and tied for ninth on 143. The 31 year old is the highest placed Irishman at the halfway stage.
Philip Walton and Raymond Burns both returned second round 69s for a 36 hole total of 144, while Des Smyth and Eamon Darcy have also matched each other with successive rounds of 73 to lie on 146.
Yet, with the halfway cut made at 147 - three over par - the experienced David Feherty (151) and Ronan Rafferty (155) both crashed out of the tournament.
At the top of the leaderboard, what is effectively a duel is developing between Zimbabwe Dunhill Cup team mates, Mark McNulty and Nick Price.
McNulty fired a second round 67 to take a four shot lead over "the rest of the field, while Price, the overnight joint leader, was unable to hole the putts on his way to a level par 72 for a 36 hole aggregate of 140 and joint second place with South African, Andre Cruse.
McHenry, who picked up three birdies and dropped a couple of shots for his 71, was well satisfied with his display.
"Lost City is an easier course than the Gary Player, but it can, be much more treacherous. I was looking to consolidate today and, played it fairly tight," he said. "You certainly can't play aggressively on these two courses, though. And, on the Gary Player Country Club, there are only three or four birdie opportunities.
"But I'm very happy with 72 and 71 and would be well pleased with two more of the same over the weekend. It's my first European tournament of the year and it's important, to do well here, to get me going.
As for Feherty, he was fairly sanguine about his golf, given that he has hardly played since early December.
"I played a lot better than yesterday," he said. "I drove the ball well, but my short game is hopeless - if I miss the green, I'm a basket case. But it's a long time since I last felt like playing golf and I should be in much better shape next week."
