At the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Eddie Pepperell had a strong finish to lead by one stroke following the opening round.
The afternoon starters found it challenging due to the windy conditions at Mont Choisy Le Golf, but Jacob Skov Olesen led for the majority of the day with a 5-under-par total.
To surpass Dane Olesen at the top of the leaderboard, Pepperell saved his best for last, finishing his 66 with a hat-trick of birdies to get to 6 under.
Pepperell saved his best for last, closing his 66 with a hat-trick of birdies to get to 6 under, moving him up to the top of the leaderboard ahead of Dane Olesen.
Olesen, who secured his DP World Tour card at Qualifying School after becoming the first Danish champion of The Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin in the summer, shot a perfect 67 with 3 birdies and an eagle to take sole 2nd position.
Renato Paratore of Italy, Andreas Halvorsen and Dane Hamish Brown of Norway, and Wilco Nienaber, Jacques Blaauw, and Jayden Schaper of South Africa were all tied for third place at 4 under.
Pepperell, an Englishman, recovered quickly from a bogey at the 2nd hole by making his first birdie of the day at the 3rd. On the 5th hole, he picked up another ball from 6 feet.
After putting his approach to tap-in range on the 9th hole, he finished the front nine with a birdie.
Additionally, Pepperell’s game came alive in the last moments after a sluggish start to the back nine. He capitalised on the lengthy 14th hole and then chipped in for an unexpected birdie on the 16th.
He made a birdie on the par-3 17th after a spectacular tee-shot, and on the 18th, he claimed the lead by himself with his 3rd consecutive gain from about 4 feet.
“That makes me happy, I wouldn’t have said it, and I wasn’t prepared.” Pepperell, who has his wife Jen on the bag this week, remarked.
“I was concerned that, given the windy circumstances, Thursday would be another one of those days after I bogeyed the second hole. I was concerned that, given the windy circumstances, Thursday would be another one of those days after I bogeyed the second hole.
I’ve been in a position where you’re three, four, or five under par at the top of the leaderboard, even on a Thursday, for a long time. Good finish. On the 15th, I told myself to “just keep your head down, let it happen.”
For a long time, I’ve been in a position where you’re at the top of the leaderboard, even on a Thursday, and you’re 3, 4, or 5 under par. Well done. My advice to myself on the 15th was to “just keep your head down, let it happen.” he said.
