The second day of the Alfred Dunhill Championship hasn’t been the brightest morning for Spanish golf in 2025, but it has certainly left us with interesting details that we shouldn’t overlook. To start with, it seems that the Armada has made a full cut under more challenging conditions due to the wind. All our players who went out early to play today on the East Course of the Royal Johannesburg should be there for the weekend. It’s no small feat.
Ángel Ayora (-5) has once again shown his solidity, consistency, and perseverance. The player from Malaga is always there, working hard, never losing faith. Things may go better or worse for him, he may make more or fewer putts, but he never turns his back on a round of golf. He has played under par again and, above all, has returned to the clubhouse with the feeling that if he has a slightly inspired day, he can shoot a very low round.
The difference between yesterday and today has been the par 5s. From yesterday’s four-under, he has moved to one-under today, heavily marked by the bogey on the 18th hole. He missed the tee shot to the left, the ball hit a tree, and he had to almost start over. Despite everything, his game is good, and he feels comfortable on the greens. Today, he touched a lot of edges. There were many putts where the line between going in the hole or missing was very thin.
Rocco Repetto (-4) has once again demonstrated that he is a very special player with a lot of grit. He fights against obstacles. Third tournament on the DP World Tour and third cut. And today wasn’t a walk in the park. Not at all. He had to roll up his sleeves in a big way. A bogey on the 14th hole put him on the brink. Out of the cut. His reaction was majestic. He made three birdies on holes 15, 16, and 18, not only securing the weekend but also giving him reasons to look upwards. The leaders are far ahead, but the top 10 is not a fantasy.
The wind wreaked havoc this morning in Johannesburg. It wasn’t an almost imperceptible breeze. You had to judge well and fine-tune the measurements. It was practically a two-club wind. A serious matter. Jayden Schaper (-13), the solo leader, wasn’t fazed by it, of course, as he putted incredibly. He made all the chances he had and even some that couldn’t be considered chances. Hence, his fabulous bogey-free round of 64. It’s two strokes better than the next best of the morning. A different story.
Schaper, pending what happens this afternoon where Eugenio Chacarra is coming in strong, has a three-stroke lead over Christiaan Burke (-10) and Daniel Van Tonder (-10) and four over Karabo Mokoena (-9), Dylan Frittelli (-9), Joel Girrbach (-9), Louis Oosthuizen (-9), and Thriston Lawrence (-9). The South African armada, with tanks on the street.
As for the rest of the Spaniards, Alex del Rey (-3), Pablo Larrazábal (-3), and Manu Elvira (-3) should make the cut. Right now, it’s set at -3, but it would have to be played very well this afternoon for it to drop to -4. They will have to stay alert in any case. Both Del Rey and Larrazábal, with over-par rounds, managed two saving birdies on the 8th hole, while Manu Elvira made a notable comeback with a scorecard of 69, finishing with three birdies in the last four holes after a painful double bogey. Much credit also goes to the Cantabrian.
