Oosthuizen an anxious fan at World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions
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Four back after second-round 69, Rugby World Cup has him on edge
Soft-spoken Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa had reason to get excited when he aced the 200-yard, par-3 sixth hole on the way to a 68 in the first round of the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
After shooting 69 in the second round, which left him in eighth, four behind England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick (67, 11 under), he expected to get positively rambunctious.
Oosthuizen is playing golf with one eye on the Rugby World Cup in Japan, where his beloved South Africa Springboks will take on England at 5 a.m. (ET) Saturday.
“Yeah, I think I'm more nervous for that than I am for my round of golf,” Oosthuizen said. “We're going to support the boys. They look ready. We'll see how tomorrow goes.
“I think we're all going to watch it in the hotel,” he added, “and that's even worse because there's a lot of English players here. I think we are outnumbered, but we'll have a nice voice in that match.”
Japan is the first Asian country to host rugby’s marquee event. England beat New Zealand 19-7 in one semifinal, while South Africa beat Wales 19-16 in the other.
Asked if he is as mild-mannered a fan as he is a golfer, Oosthuizen didn’t hesitate.
“No, I get very excited and very angry at the same time,” he said. “So I think I'm probably a very -- I'm a really big Springboks supporter, so sorry for any words that might come out of my mouth tomorrow watching the game.”
Meanwhile, leader Fitzpatrick admitted to being more bemused than impassioned. He said he caught about a half hour of the England-New Zealand semifinal, and was impressed with his side’s speed, but didn’t know enough about rugby to comment further.
“All the best to the lads,” he said, “but rugby isn't really my thing.”