Everything you need to know from the second round at Houghton Golf Club.
A home hero took over at the top of the leaderboard while we saw some near-aces and bunker magic on day two of the 2025 Joburg Open.
Here is everything you need to know from the second round at Houghton Golf Club.
Norris brushes off ear infection to lead the way
Shaun Norris may have been struggling with an ear infection on day two but that did not prevent him from posting a bogey-free 63 to lead by one shot at the halfway stage. The in-form home favourite made seven birdies - including three in a row from the 11th - to get to 11 under par. He said: "I picked up an ear infection on Tuesday afternoon and saw the doctor on Wednesday. Tried to flush it out but it's not worked, put me on antibiotics and things like that but it's frustrating. I can't hear anything out of my left side and it's bugging me. But you know what, somehow it's not bothering me on the golf course."
Langasque's miracle birdie
As Romain Langasque prepared to play his second shot from the wrong side of the trees on the first hole, he did not have a lot of options. Knowing he would be in big trouble if his ball plugged in the face of the bunker guarding the green, he sent his ball onto the upslope just over the bunker and watched it feed onto the green. And he only went and holed the 20-foot putt for a bonus birdie...
Pulkkanen cruelly denied ace at ninth
Tapio Pulkkanen got extremely unlucky at the par-three ninth as his brilliant tee-shot lipped out. He definitely deserved a hole-in-one here...
Saddier puts on a show
Adrien Saddier shone brightly on Friday afternoon and earned himself a share of the lead after making six birdies in his first 14 holes. A closing bogey meant he had to settle for second place, one shot behind midway leader Norris, but the Frenchman's round was spectacular nonetheless. He sent his approach at the 13th straight at the tucked flag to set up a birdie there before picking up another shot on the short 14th thanks to a wonderful tee-shot.
Penge's big finish
Marco Penge saved his best until last as he holed his bunker shot at the 18th for a closing birdie. It was a thing of beauty, with the Englishman pitching it on the green and watching it roll in.
