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Golf

Caldwell makes cut on tour return in South Africa

Down golfer Jonathan Caldwell has made the cut on his return to the European Tour this week. The ...



Caldwell makes cut on tour ret...
Golf

Caldwell makes cut on tour return in South Africa

Down golfer Jonathan Caldwell has made the cut on his return to the European Tour this week.

The 35-year-old - who earned his Tour card having successfully come through Q-School in Spain - is in action at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

Caldwell added a second-round 69 to his opening round of 74 to lie at one-under-par for the tournament - eight shots off the halfway lead held by Spain's Pablo Larrazabal.

In a week where the European Tour has allowed players to wear shorts given the sweltering heat in South Africa, Caldwell posted a bogey-free second round of 69, which included three birdies, to leave himself in a tie for 14th.

A blemish-free second round contrasted Caldwell's first round, which included two bogeys and two double-bogeys.

Another Irish player, Cormac Sharvin, endured a difficult week where a second-round of 73 added to an opening round of 80 left him six shots adrift of the cut on nine-over-par.

Sharvin's first-round included five bogeys and a quadruple-bogey nine on the par-five 15th to leave him on eight-over, while four second-round birdies were offset by five bogeys in a one-over 73.

Elsewhere, Portmarnock's Conor Purcell also made the cut in his first event as a professional this week.

The 22-year-old, who won the Australian Amateur Championship earlier this year, shot a five-under-par second round of 67 to qualify for the weekend at the AVJennings New South Wales Open.

Purcell - a member of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team in September - shot a first-round 74, but responded in fine style with a superb second round.

After a front nine of one-over, Purcell carded six birdies in a back nine of 30 to leave himself in a tie for 34th at three-under.

The lead at the Twin Creeks Golf and Country Club near Sydney is held by Australian Andrew Dodt on 14-under-par.

The Dubliner will next week tee it up in the prestigious Emirates Australian Open, which carries a total purse of $1.5million.

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