A DISASTROUS 17th hole crushed Eddie Pepperell's chances of making the cut at the South African Open.
The Abingdon golfer took nine shots to complete the par five as he carded a level par second round at Randpark, near Johannesburg.
It left him at two-over for the tournament, well outside the projected cut of three-under.
The Frilford Heath member made a steady start at the venue's Bushwillow Course, which hosts rounds two and four of the event.
Birdies at the fourth and ninth brought him to level par overall, although a bogey on the tenth knocked him back.
But Pepperell propelled himself back into contention with a stunning eagle at the par five 12th and another birdie at the 13th.
Three consecutive pars kept him at four under for the round, but the 17th saw him drop right down the field.
Pepperell finished with a par at the final hole and will aim to bounce back at tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai later this month.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here