TSHWANE, 15 February 2016 – Woo-Ju Son described her final round in the Gauteng North Junior Championship as “very ordinary”, but even when the petite Gauteng junior punches below average, Son is tough to beat.

Just a month after a breakthrough victory in the Nomads WGWP Junior Championship at Durbanville Country Club, the Eagle Canyon golfer was delighted with a podium finish at Waterkloof Golf Club.

“This one was a lot tougher to win, and I guess that’s why this victory feels so much sweeter,” said 14-year-old Son.

Son boxed an eagle putt at the par five second and wiped out a trio of bogeys with seven birdies at to set the first round target with a blistering six-under-par 66.

She dropped four shots in the second round, but a birdie-birdie finish brought her home in even-par 72 and guaranteed a one stroke victory on six under 138 over fellow Gauteng player Kajal Mistry. Continue reading →

MALELANE, 13 February 2016 – South Africa’s Albert Venter swept to a five stroke victory in the inaugural African Amateur Stroke Play Championship on Saturday thanks in no small part to two superb 65s at the Leopard Creek Golf Estate.

The 19-year-old stunned with seven birdies on the back nine in the first round to lead England’s Jamie Bower by six strokes with his first 65. Continue reading →

MIDRAND, 5 February 2016 – Jack Hume put on one of the classiest performances of the week with a flawless eight under 64 to close out a thrilling one stroke victory in the South African Stroke Play Championship at Blue Valley Golf and Country Club on Friday.

The Irishman produced a hat-trick of birdies over the closing holes in the final round to deny 2014 champion Jason Smith a repeat victory and edge out countryman Stuart Grehan and finished the week on a winning score of 19-under-269. Continue reading →

MIDRAND, 4 February 2016 – South Africa’s Jason Smith fought hard for a share of the third round lead with Ewen Ferguson from Scotland in the South African Stroke Play Championship on Thursday.

Smith overcome a nervous bogey to card a five under 67 at the Blue Valley Golf and Country Club finish at 17-under-par 199 with joint halfway leader Ferguson, who eagled the closing hole for a 68.

Ireland’s Stuart Grehan closed with back-to-back birdies and a 68 that left him one back of the co-leaders, while Tim Widing’s 69 will see the Swede start the final round three off the pace. Continue reading →

TSHWANE, 3 February 2016 – The course record at Blue Valley Country Club took a double beating on Wednesday as South Africa’s Aubrey Beckley and 2015 Walker Cup hero Ewen Ferguson from Scotland surged into the lead at the South Africa Stroke Play Championship,.

Beckley also made the most of the sunny conditions to post a 66 in round two to join Ferguson, who took advantage of an early tee-time to fire a flawless eight-under-par 64.

The pair finished at 13 under, but they will have a long wait to see if their one stroke lead holds up. Continue reading →

TSHWANE, 2 February 2016 – Pretoria amateur Jason Smith fired a course record eight-under-par 64 to lead the first round of the South African Stroke Play Championship at Blue Valley Golf and Country Club on Monday.

The 2014 champion is looking to end a 15-month title drought, but Smith will face a full-blooded challenge from a congested international chasing pack.

Scotland’s Scott Gibson and Aubrey Beckley from North West share second on seven under, while Luke Trocado from Western Province and Southern Cape’s Brandon Cloete avoided the crush at five under with a pair of 66s. Continue reading →

MIDRAND, 1 February 2016 – The South Africans might outnumber the international line-up in this year’s South African Stroke Play Championship two-to-one, but number one ranked Tristen Strydom from Pretoria warned the local mob not to take their eyes off the foreign invasion from 11 countries competing at Blue Valley Golf and Country Estate from 2-4 February.

“I believe we can beat the foreigners, but we should guard against complacency,” said Strydom.

“They didn’t have much of a festive break, but most of us had to get the rust off after a long holiday. There are some really good players from Europe here this week, but I believe we have the depth to keep the trophy on home soil this year. When the SA Stroke Play title is on the line, every South African amateur finds an extra gear.” Continue reading →