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PRETORIA. — Irish/Zimbabwean golfer Mark McNulty became the first player to successfully defend his South African Senior Masters golf title.

The SA Senior Masters took place at the Silver Lakes Golf Estate from November 7-9 over 54 holes of stroke play.

The 2018 champion started the first round with three birdies at the 2nd, 4th & 7th to be 3-under par at the turn. He then birdied 12th, 14th & 15th to finish the round on 67 (-5), one shot off the leaders, that included only one drop shot to par.

James Kingston, who won the SA Senior Open recently, took an early lead with 6 birdies & 3 pars to turn at 6-under par. Kingston birdied the 10th & then dropped a shot at the 11th to finish the first round on 66 (-6).

Henry Roodt, who is the Silver Lakes Club Captain, took advantage of the conditions to produce a birdie on the 1st hole & an eagle on the par 5, 7th hole to turn in 33 (-3). On the return nine Roodt birdied the 11th, 15th, 16th & 18th with a drop on the 17th to finish on 66 (-6) and tied the lead with Kingston. There were seven other players under par after day 1.

Rocky Tlhabanyane made a speedy move on the second day with birdies at the 1st, 2nd, 4th & 7th to reach the clubhouse in 32 (-4). Tlhabanyane then dropped a single stroke at the par 4 12th hole but came back with a string of birdies at the 15th, 17th & 18th to complete the second round in 66 (-6).

McNulty opened the second round with a birdie at the 1st, an eagle at the par 5, 2nd & another birdie on the 7th. McNulty then dropped at the 10th, 12th & 16th but tidied his score card up with birdies at the 11th, 14th & 17th to post a 68 (-4) round.

Kingston made two birdies on the front nine at the 5th & 7th to make the turn in 34 (-2). The outward nine saw Kingston drop a shot at the 10th but came back with a pair of birdies on the 14th & 15th to make the clubhouse in 69 (-3).

At the end of the second round the leader board had McNulty & Kingston tied at the top on 9 under par (-9), Tlhabanyane on his own on (-6) with Andre Cruse next on (-2). Henry Roodt, Callie Swart and Zimbabwe’s Gary Thompson were all at (-1). Andy Shackleton, also a local, had two good rounds on 71 & 73 to end the second round on level par.

The second-round cut afforded the top 45 players an opportunity to compete in the final round on Saturday, for the R60 000 first prize in the total prize fund of R400 000.