Donald Soars into Lead at Nedbank Golf Challenge


Luke Donald fired a 9-under 63 to rise into the halfway lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. The limited-field, 30-player event got underway Thursday at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa.

The 36-year-old Donald, a former No. 1, enjoyed a flawless outing that included five birdies on the front nine and four more on the back. He stands at 10-under 134, two strokes ahead of fellow Brit and 18-hole leader Ross Fisher, who followed up his opening 66 with a 70.

Donald could have established a new course record, but he couldn't birdie the 18th. Nevertheless, his second round was considerably better than his first, a 71 that included four birdies but three bogeys.

"It's been a while since I've gone really low," Donald told the European Tour's website. "I've been seeing some signs of a lot of improvement in the last few weeks and some lower rounds in the mid- to high-60s, but obviously nine birdies around this place is a great round and something I was very pleased with.

"I felt very in control. It's been a while since I felt like that. It was nice to play a solid round."

Perhaps his best move of the day was getting out of the way of a charging baboon on the 13th hole. "We were walking up 13, saw one hiding in the tree, and got to my ball and suddenly Shane said, 'Watch out!'

"And I turned around and the thing is galloping towards me," said Donald. "I jumped out of the way. My facial expression I'm sure was caught on camera and probably on the Internet already by now. It gave me a little bit of a fright as he strolled right by me."

Though he had an eagle - on the par-5 10th hole - and three birdies, Fisher also recorded a bogey and a double on the par-3 12th right after his eagle-birdie start to the back nine. "I am a little bit disappointed to shoot 2-under," the 34-year-old said.

"It's a tough golf course. I don't feel like I played probably as solid as yesterday. I didn't hit it as good off the tee. I still felt like I played pretty solid."

Fisher was impressed with Donald's performance. "I think any golf course anywhere, there's always a low score out there. But, you've got to go out and do it. So hats off to Luke. He obviously played fantastically well today."

Four strokes behind Donald is France's Alexander Levy, who also posted a 70, while five back is another Englishman, Danny Willett (68).

Germany's Marcel Siem is now in fifth at 140 following a 72. One shot further back are American Brendon Todd (68), Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee (70) and South Africans Charl Schwartzel and Tim Clark, who both had 71s.

Reigning U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer continued his struggles at the Gary Player course, following up his opening 74 with a 75 to drop into a tie for 24th.

Brooks Koepka, a 24-year-old Floridian recently named the European Tour's 2014 Rookie of the Year, has shot rounds of 70 and 74 to enter the weekend's final two rounds at even-par 144.

For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2014095/leaderboard/index.html.