Scot James Wilson comes close to emulating Nick Faldo's famous feat

Balmore's James Wilson opened with 17 straight pars in the second round of the South African Stroke-Play Championship at Randpark before closing with a double-bogey 6. Picture: Ernest Blignault

The Balmore man was on course to emulate Faldo's famous feat of parring all 18 holes at Muirfield in the final round to win the 1987 Open Championship.

But, after carding 17 successive pars on the Firethorn Course at Randpark, he ran up a disappointing double-bogey 6 at the last.

"I was hoping for 18 pars, which would have been quite funny, but it wasn't to be," said Wilson after the late blow left him having to settle for a 74 - 10 shots more than his opening effort.

On six-under, the former Welsh Open Stroke-Play champion sits joint-seventh, seven shots behind the new leader, Casey Jarvis from South Africa.

"At the last, I just got unlucky with my tee shot, which ended up close to the lip of a bunker, then three-putted from 30 feet," added Wilson. "The sweat isn't purely the temperature - there's some rage as well in there!"

Jarvis carded eight birdies, including four in a row, as he set the clubhouse target in the easier morning conditions in the RSA event.

"It was definitely playing a few shots harder," said Wilson of the different test to when he'd set the first-day pace with an eagle and seven birdies.

"A few of the tees were back and the wind was up. You can't expect to have two low scores in a row and, though today is slightly disappointing, we go again tomorrow."

Castle Park's Connor Wilson (72) is next best among the Scottish contingent, lying joint-10th on five-under, one ahead of Peebles player Darren Howie (68).

Irvine man Stuart Easton (74) sits joint-42nd on two-over, with Howie's clubmate, Stephen Roger, making the cut on the mark as a 76 left him on three-over.

In the pro ranks, Scott Henry overcame a cold putter early on to make a promising start in the NEWGIZA Open, the first-ever MENA Tour event to be held in Egypt.

The former European Tour player opened with a four-under-par 68 to sit joint-second, two shots behind Englishman Curtis Knipes in the $75,000 event.

"I had a few chances early on, but I was struggling with the putter and missed chances at the first six holes," said Henry, who finished eighth in last week's season-opening event on the third-tier circuit in Jordan.

"I felt like a could have been better, but I am still happy with four-under. I'm playing good golf and just need to sharpen up the putter."

Craig Ross sits in a tie for ninth on 69, followed by Conor O'Neil (70) and Calum Fyfe (71) as all four Scots in the field broke par at the Cario venue.