PRETORIA, 24 January 2015 – South Africa’s number two ranked amateur, Tristen Strydom, fired a four-under-par 68 to finish within one shot of first round pacesetter, Theunie Bezuidenhout, in the season-opening Gauteng North Open Stroke Play on Friday.

Strydom, a five-time winner last season, reeled in four birdies and an eagle to offset two bogeys to tie Gauteng North’s Teaghan Gauche for second.

The 17-year-old Ekurhuleni junior was pleased to get his 2015 season underway with a solid first round performance.

“It’s our first provincial open amateur event of the season and it’s important to get a solid finish this weekend with the South African Stroke Play Championship coming up,” said Strydom.

“You’re not only competing against the top amateurs in the game, but the Scots are out in full force and there are a lot of other international campaigners in the field. I’m looking for at least a top five finish to carry that confidence to Port Elizabeth, so I’m pleased with the start.

Meanwhile Rustenburg golfer Bezuidenhout edged in front with a five under 67.

Strydom was not surprised to see the North West Province golfer leading the chase.

“Less than four months ago, Theunie defeated me at the second hole of a sudden-death play-off at Irene Country Club to win the PWC Gauteng North Silver Salver,” the reigning Nomads SA Boys U-19 Stroke Play champion said.

“He always seems to excel at the top courses around Pretoria courses, so I expected him to be in the running. But we still have two rounds and lots of golf to play.”

Follow live scoring at http://www.gngu.co.za/scoring/res2015/open/sagaindx.htm

PHOTO – Tristen Strydom; credit Catherine Kotze / SASPA.

Keegan de Lange and JP Cooper have been named to a six-man side that will represent South Africa in a two-day Test against a French team from 27 to 28 January.

The South African Golf Association (SAGA) also named Herman Loubser from Boland, Southern Cape’s Jovan Rebula, Marco Steyn and Dylan Naidoo from Central Gauteng to face the French at St Francis Links.

SAGA Golf Integration Manager, Eden Thompson, said the French Golf Union requested six, instead of four players this year, and SAGA was happy to oblige.

“Last year, we fielded a team of four players that beat the French at Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate,” said.

“We were very pleased to increase the team, because this offers us the opportunity to give six of our top juniors the chance to gain experience against top international amateurs.” Continue reading →

Estiaan Conradie claimed an eighth place finish in the first Nomads National Order of Merit Coastal event, while three more Gauteng North juniors claimed top 20 finishes on a very windy final day at Durban Country Club.

Conradie carded rounds of 75 and 73 and lagged just five strokes behind pacesetter Wilco Nienaber from Bloemfontein.

However, the strong north-westerly wind that whipped around the layout at 40 km per hour in the final round derailed the young gun’s goal of improving on his tie for fifth.

The Wingate Park Country Club player double bogeyed the first and fourth holes, but he stemmed the bleeding with five consecutive pars. He dropped a shot at the 10^th but once again followed with four pars on the trot as the wind continued to pick up speed.

A bogey-bogey-double bogey- birdie finish saw him signed for an 80 and a share of eighth on 228 with local golfers Aneurin Gounden and Matt Saulez.

Keegan McLachlan (79-71-80) from Silver Lakes Country Club took 12^th on his own at 230, while club-mate Dino Capazario (80-74-79) shared 16^th spot on 233 with Wingate Park’s JP Cooper (78-73-82).

Meawhile Free State junior Wilco Nienaber chipped in for an eagle at the 18^th to claim his third title in six days in a three-way play-off.

The 14-year-old defeated former number one junior Kyle McClatchie from Ekurhuleni and Western Province rising star Luca Filippi at the first extra hole of a sudden-death play-off after the trio tied on four-over-par 220 in regulation play.

TOP 20 RESULTS

220 Wilco Nienaber 74 68 78 *

220 Luca Filippi 74 70 76; Kyle McClatchie 70 74 76

224 Dylan Naidoo 76 74 74; Eric Wowor 75 73 76

226 Sentanio Minnie 76 72 78

227 Luke Mayo 74 72 81

228 Anuerin Gounden 80 77 71; Matt Saulez 75 79 74; Estiaan Conradie 75 73 80

229 Tristan Hamilton 77 72 80

230 Keegan Mclachlan 79 71 80

231 Gregory Mckay 75 74 82; Cameron Moralee 74 79 78

232 Deon Germishuys 75 73 84

233 Dino Capazario 80 74 79; Juan-Pierre Cooper 78 73 82

234 Garrick Higgo 77 79 78; Jason Broomhead 75 78 81

235 Ruben Coetzer 83 77 75; Dylan Mostert 81 75 79; Allan Lones 79 82 74; Emilio Pera 77 74 84

PHOTO – Estiaan Conradie from Wingate Park; credit Catherine Kotze / SASPA

JOHANNESBURG (12 January 2015) – Keegan de Lange and JP Cooper will make their debut for South Africa in  two-day Test against a French Team Links this month.

The Gauteng North juniors have been named alongside Herman Loubser from Boland, Marco Steyn and Dylan Naidoo from Central Gauteng and Southern Cape’s Jovan Rebula to fly the flag for South Africa at St Francis 27 to 28 January.

The inaugural Test last year pitted four-man teams from France and South Africa against each other at Serengeti Golf & Wildlife Estate. Continue reading →

There wasn’t a player in the 156-strong field that finished the first round of the 104^th South African Open Championship without leveling a strong opinion about the brutal rough at Glendower Golf Club on Thursday.

The thick, long grass that hug the fairways and greens was simply too tough on a day when only 40 players managed to break par and you have to page down to two-over-par 74 to find amateurs Hendrikus Stoop and Tristen Strydom.

Tied for 79^th, the pair and the rest of the amateur contingent will have their work cut out to make the cut on Friday.

Seven-time Sunshine Tour winner Keith Horne had a message for the younger, inexperienced players that failed the first round test.

“The course this year demands respect and accuracy,” said Horne, who finished five shots behind co-leaders Jbe’ Kruger and England’s Andy Sullivan after carding a one under 71. Continue reading →

A blend of seven past champions, five-time winner Ernie Els, a slew of top European challengers and prime real estate at Glendower Golf Club will serve up an intoxicating cocktail at the 104^th South African Golf Championship and it’s little wonder that five of the country’s top amateurs are champing at the bit to get started.

However, while most players will want to make the most of this stage to shine, reigning SA Stroke Play champion Jason Smith is quite happy to fly under the radar this week.

“The SA Open is the Holy Grail for almost every South African amateur, but I don’t care about winning; I only want to get the most out of this experience,” Smith explained.

As the custodian of the world’s second oldest Open, the South African Golf Association (SAGA) annually name five top amateurs to compete in the championship.

Smith made the grade alongside Tristen Strydom, Gerlou Roux, Hendrikus Stoop and Matthew Spacey.

“This week represents the chance of the lifetime to watch South Africa’s top golfers and the European players in action and learn as much as possible by just watching how the pros execute their shots and their course management,” Smith said.
The Irene golfer learned the value of international competition during the 2014 season. Continue reading →

Keegan de Lange romped to a three-shot victory in the season-opening Dr Bam Nomads National Order of Merit at Pollak Park Golf Club on Monday and the 17-year-old Pretoria golfer is ready for another fast finish in the SA Open qualifier at Irene Golf Club on Tuesday.

De Lange shared the overnight lead on five under with fellow Pretoria junior Rosswell Sinclair.

He reeled in seven birdies for a final round five-under-par 67 to triumph on 10 under 206, while Centurion’s Sinclair eagled the 18^th for a two under 70 to ensure a one-two finish for Gauteng North Golf Union.

Southern Cape’s Cameron Moralee and Dylan Naidoo from Central Gauteng both registered 69s to share third at six under.

Julien Sale from Reunion carded a 69 to take sole fifth on 214 and first round leader Sentanio Minnie from Ekurhuleni finished a further stroke back after a closing 72.

De Lange came agonisingly close to podium finishes in the final two junior events of 2014 and was thrilled to convert the runner-up finishes into victory ahead of the SA Open qualifying.

“I played really well in the Nomads National Order of Merit at Silver Lakes and the Joburg Junior Open in December, but both times someone else just put together a better final round,” the Pretoria Country Club golfer said.

“I decided to change my approach and get more aggressive. Although I made a few mistakes, I managed to make a lot of birdies to limit the damage. Continue reading →