Staff WriterSpain’s Eugenio Chacarra has given the Alfred Dunhill Championship a proper spark, charging into the weekend with a two-shot lead after two rounds of bold, entertaining golf. The Alfred Dunhill Championship leaderboard is shaping up nicely, though, with South Africa’s Jayden Schaper lurking just behind and clearly in no mood to roll over on home soil.
Chacarra’s second-round 66 was a reminder that low scoring doesn’t always come quietly. He opened with an eagle and a birdie in his first three holes, wobbled with back-to-back bogeys around the turn, then steadied himself with two birdies late in the day to reach 15 under par. It was aggressive, occasionally untidy, but ultimately effective.
“I started out very well but the conditions were tricky with the wind. I didn’t have my best stuff on the back nine but overall it was good golf, and there is still plenty of golf to play,” he said.
There was a moment when things threatened to slip away after mistakes on 10 and 11, but Chacarra showed maturity beyond his years to halt the slide.
“After my bogeys on 10 and 11 the round could’ve gone a little south so I was pleased with my bounce back and those birdies at the end.”
That resilience will be tested over the weekend at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, where low numbers are always on the menu and no lead is ever entirely safe. Chacarra knows it too, especially with a tightly packed leaderboard full of proven DP World Tour winners and hungry contenders.
“This is a golf course where you can go low, and a lot of players can still win. But I know if I execute my gameplan with my caddie and play like I have these past two rounds, I’ll have a good chance come Sunday.”
Closest in pursuit is Schaper, who followed up last week’s runner-up finish at the Nedbank Golf Challenge with a sizzling second-round 64. At 13 under par, the young South African looks increasingly comfortable carrying expectations, and his familiarity with the venue could yet prove decisive.
“Last week was a good week for me and I just wanted to continue with that. I’ve had to adjust a little to the yardages here, but I’ve done that now. This is a very familiar golf course for me. I’m right where I want to be for the weekend,” he said.
Schaper knows how close he’s come here before, having finished second at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in 2020 behind Christiaan Bezuidenhout. This time, he’s better seasoned, sharper, and clearly ready to apply serious pressure.
Just behind the leading pair, England’s John Parry and South Africa’s Branden Grace sit on 12 under par after rounds of 66 and 67 respectively, both well within striking distance if the leaders blink. Grace, in particular, knows exactly what it takes to win in this environment and won’t be fazed by the chase.
Rounding out the top 10 is former Alfred Dunhill Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen, who carded a steady 68 to reach nine under par. He’s been here before, seen it all, and remains close enough to matter if the weekend turns into a shoot-out.
Two rounds down, plenty of firepower in contention, and scoring conditions that reward bravery over caution. The Alfred Dunhill Championship has all the ingredients for a proper weekend scrap — and nobody is pretending this one is already settled.
