TSHWANE, 16 July 2015 – Dawid Opperman took a leaf out of Tshwane Open champion George Coetzee’s book and employed his home course knowledge to take control in the first round of the Tshwane Junior Open at Pretoria Country Club on Thursday.

This was Opperman’s first event since a tie for fourth in the Dimension Data Junior Open at Fancourt in early July and the 17-year-old Gauteng North golfer didn’t have the most auspicious start with a bogey at the par-four first.

However, Opperman reeled in seven birdies with exceptional ball striking at the heavily bunkered championship layout and a hot putter on the firm greens to wipe out his mistakes and signed for a three-under-par 69.

Fellow Gauteng North players Otto von Buynder from Blue Valley Golf Estate and Keegan Mclachlan from Silver Lakes Country Club finished within striking distance with respective rounds of 70 and 71.

Dylan Mostert, coming of a runner-up finish in the Nomads National Order of Merit at Bryanston Country Club on Tuesday, is also in hot pursuit.

The Ekurhuleni golfer carded an even-par 72 to tie Slade Pickering from North West in fourth.

Recent Nomads SA Boys Under-17 Championship runner-up Werner Deysel from Gauteng North also joined the chase alongside Ruan Pretorius from Free State after the pair both registered 73s.

FIRST ROUND SCORES – top 20
69 Dawid Opperman
70 Otto van Buynder
71 Keegan Mclachlan
72 Dylan Mostert; Slade Pickering
73 Ruan Pretorius; Werner Deyzel
76 Brandon Gildenhuys; Luke Mayo; Therion Nel; Garrick Higgo; Alex van Wyk; Alan Lones; Attie van Wyk; Vaughn van Deventer; Kyle Barker
77 Brandon Geere; Martin Vorster; Estiaan Conradie; Matt Saulez; Steven le Roux

PHOTO – Dawid Opperman; credit Warren Blunt.