George Coetzee went from hoping to make the cut to contending for a first major title after a brilliant second round of the US PGA Championship.
And the money he is now guaranteed will come in handy to settle his debts from practice rounds with fellow South Africans Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
" I've actually got to make some money to pay some bets this weekend," Coetzee joked.
Coetzee has won twice on the European Tour this season but missed the cut in his last three starts and had done likewise in his three previous appearances in the year's final major.
The 29-year-old South African looked destined to make it four in a row after an opening 74 at Whistling Straits, but carded seven birdies and an eagle to shoot 65 on Friday and lie two shots behind clubhouse leader David Lingmerth.
"It's funny how the game works," Coetzee said. "I've had the same kind of swing thoughts, the same game plan. Today the putts just went in.
"I feel like I figured something out with the putting stroke and the putting feels much better than it did the last couple of weeks and that I guess makes a big difference in ball striking and every aspect of your game. If you know you're going to make the putts, then you can play a bit more conservative when you have to and you don't take the silly chances.
"I've always said that I would be picking up trash if I couldn't putt."
Coetzee credits his father for his prowess on the greens, adding: "I remember me and my mates used to play nine holes and my dad came to me one day and said, 'If you want to make it in this game, you don't play nine holes with your friends. You stand and putt, and putt from when they tee off until they come off the golf course.'"
Source: PA
