It’s not easy to win your first big tournament and Jaco Van Zyl will find that out over the next couple of days at the Turkish Airlines Open.
Van Zyl shot 69 on Friday and is 14-under par, playing some of the best golf of his career. “It’s an honor to be here and hopefully we can stay in the mix going into the last nine holes on Sunday,” he said after tying the tournament’s 36-hole scoring record set by Ian Poulter last year.
But now there are determined players hot on his heels.
Chris Ward and Richard Bland will go into the third round only two behind. Both are in at 12-under.
The biggest name hunting Van Zyl is Rory McIlroy. McIlroy turned in a second straight round of 67 at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal and still hasn’t done anything spectacular over his first two rounds. McIlroy’s at 10-under, just four behind.
