PORT ELIZABETH, 4 July 2016 – Luke Jerling led the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A-team to joint first on day one of the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Championship at the Humewood Links in Port Elizabeth on Monday.

Jerling boosted NMMU A with a solid opening two-under-par 70. Michael Mayberry added a 73 and Jacques Smit and Colin Baldie supplemented their 221 total with a pair of 78s.

Not surprisingly, NMMU A share the top spot of the 36-hole stroke play qualifier with the defending champions, University of Pretoria.

Tuks are chasing their 11thvictory in the prestigious universities team event, however, it was the Tuks B-team who upstaged the A-side for a share of pole position. Matching 73’s from James Kennedy and Pieter Muller and a 75 from Gregg Gilson pushed Tuks B past the A-side and into joint first.

Meanwhile Tuks A stayed in touch and lag four shots off the pace in joint third with Varsity College B.

Jerling’s impressive 70 was matched by Combrink Smit from Tuks A, but neither led the Individual Standings at the end of play.

That honour belonged to KwaZulu-Natal’s Clayton Mansfield from Varsity College, whose superb three-under-par 69 helped the A-team to fifth in the team standings on 226.

TEAM STANDINGS
221 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A; University of Pretoria B
225 University of Pretoria A; Varsity College B
226 Varsity College A
229 Central University of Technology Free State A
234 University of Cape Town A
237 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University B
238 University of Stellenbosch A
240 University of Johannesburg A
241 North West University A
247 North West University B; University of Cape Town B
251 University of the Witwatersrand A
264 University of Stellenbosch B
266 University of Johannesburg B
268 University of Zululand A
318 University of Limpopo
340 University of Zululand B
388 Walter Sisulu University A

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (TOP 20)
69 Clayton Mansfield (Varsity College A)
70 Combrink Smit (University of Pretoria A);
70 Luke Jerling (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A)
73 Hendrik Dreyer (University of the Witwatersrand)
73 James Kennedy (University of Pretoria B)
73 Pieter Muller (University of Pretoria B)
73 Michael Mayberry (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A)
74 Botlhale Baily (Varsity College A)
74 Andre van Zyl (Central University of Technology Free State A)
75 Andrew van der Knaap (University of Pretoria A)
75 Gregg Gilson (University of Pretoria B)
75 Scott Heathfield (Varsity College B)
76 Donovan Tamm (Varsity College B)
76 Jason Broomhead (Varsity College A)
76 Johannes Brophy (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University B)
76 Charl Everts (University of Cape Town A)
77 Charl de Vries (University of Johannesburg B)
77 Keenan Ayser (Central University of Technology Free State A)
77 Philip Swanepoel (Stellenbosch University A)
78 Jonty Sacks (University of Cape Town A)
78 Timothy Douglas (University of Cape Town B)
78 Bartho Smit (Central University of Technology Free State A)
78 Jaqcues Smith (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A)
78 Colin Baldie (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A)

PHOTO: Clayton Mansfield from Varsity College A led the first round of the individual standings in the USSA Championship Teams Stroke Play Qualifier at Humewood Golf Links; credit Pieter Els.