Maxence Giboudot will take a one-stroke lead into the weekend of the SDC Open after recording a joint low-round-of-the-week eight under par 64 on day two at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa.
The Frenchman carded seven birdies, an eagle and a solitary bogey to reach 11 under par for the week, and lead by one from 2024 SDC Open champion Rhys Enoch from Wales, overnight leader Martin Vorster from South Africa and Spaniard Joel Moscatel.
Giboudot, who is teeing it up at Zebula for a third successive year, played the final four holes in three under par to edge in front, and was delighted to move into contention for a breakthrough HotelPlanner Tour win at the halfway stage in Limpopo.
“It was hot, it was tough but everything went well,” he said. “All the things you can control went well.
“The short game was really good. All my wedges were close, and I made some putts at the end, so that was the best part.
“You need to be on the fairway here, that’s really important because the rough is tough. I was in position on the 15th and made a really good second shot to be in position for eagle, then hit two good iron shots on 17, and then a good wedge into 18 for a birdie too.”
Giboudot is targeting a first promotion to the DP World Tour this season after finishing 70th and 71st on the Road to Mallorca Rankings respectively in the last two years.
The Frenchman is hoping a strong start to the season in South Africa will put him in pole position to follow in the footsteps of good friends and recent graduates Martin Couvra and Oihan Guillamoundeguy.
“Those guys make me want to go up to the DP World Tour with them, and I can’t wait to do it,” he added.
“I didn’t look at the leaderboard, but I’ll be in a good position. I’ll keep doing my thing and try to keep playing like this to the end.”
German Jannik de Bruyn posted a seven under par 65 to move into a share of fifth alongside Jaco Ahlers on nine under par, with five players one shot further back in seventh, including Pieter Moolman, Herman Loubser and MJ Viljoen from South Africa, German Hurly Long and Spaniard Pablo Ereno.
The third round of the SDC Open gets under way tomorrow at 6:28am local time, with Giboudot teeing off alongside Vorster at 12:05pm.
