JOHANNESBURG, 17 March 2016 – Ekurhuleni’s Angus Ellis-Cole set up a semi-final clash against Marco Steyn from Central Gauteng, while 16-year-old Garrick Higgo from Boland also will face Tyrone Gibb from Central Gauteng in the final four at the Northern Amateur Championship at Randpark Golf Club on Friday.

Heavy rain pounded the Firethorn Course, causing not only a suspension during the quarter-finals, but forcing the organisers to let the semi-finals to stand over until Friday.

Angus-Cole reeled in birdies at 14 and 16 to go 1-up on Dylan Naidoo and parred the 17th to defeat Dylan Naidoo from Central Gauteng 2 & 1, while reigning Free State Open champion Steyn denied Gauteng North’s Jason Smith a merry birthday celebration when he dispatched the 2014 South African Stroke Play champion 4 & 3.

Recent Curro SA Juniors International Boys winner Higgo roped in his first round victim, fellow Boland golfer Herman Loubser, to carry the bag and the pair proved a lethal combination the duck weather.

Higgo birdied the first to go 1-up against Kyle McClatchie, but the Ekurhuleni golfer squared the match with a birdie at the sixth. Successive birdies at nine and 10 put Higgo in front again and the De Zalze golfer was 3-up after McClatchie bogeyed 12 and he sealed the victory with back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14.

Gibb eagled the par five fourth to go 1-up against Jovan Rebula and was 3-up through 12. Despite bogeys at 14 and 16, he held on to beat the Southern Cape golfer 2 & 1.

“Unfortunately the weather did not play ball and we were forced to suspend play when the course became waterlogged and the river that runs through the Firethorn course started swelling to dangerous levels,” said Central Gauteng Golf Union Open Golf Manager Jaco du Plessis.

“We were concerned that the water might push over the bridges at nine and 18 and leave the players stranded. Luckily we caught a break in the weather and we were able to complete the quarter-finals.

“Given the forecast for the rest of the day, we decided to move the semi-finals to Friday morning and the final, reduced from 36 to 18 holes, will follow shortly after the conclusion of the semi-finals.”

QUARTER-FINALS RESULT
Angus Ellis Cole (Glendower GC) beat Dylan Naidoo (Modderfontein GC) 2 & 1
Marco Steyn (Modderfontein GC) beat Jason Smith (Irene CC) 4 & 3
Garrick Higgo (De Zalze GC) beat Kyle McClatchie (Serengeti Golf & Wildlife Estate) 5 & 4
Tyrone Gibb (Royal JHB & Kensington GC) beat Jovan Rebula (George GC) 2 & 1

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PHOTO: Angus Ellis Cole; credit Ernest Blignault.