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. Continue reading →

KLOOF, KwaZulu-Natal (15 July 2015) – Gauteng North’s Carrie Park claimed her first Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur title in a thrilling final with Ivanna Samu at Kloof Country Club on Wednesday.

Park, who in 2014 won the Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play title but had never made it to the match play final before this, beat Samu with a birdie on the 23rd hole.

“I am thrilled. I never expected to beat Ivanna on a par five because she hits it so much further than me,” said Park.

Park made it into the final with a 5&4 victory over Mae Cornforth in the morning, while Samu went through with a 4&3 win over Kloof’s Brittney-Fay Berger.

It was an incredible final in which both golfers had chances to win. Continue reading →

JOHANNESBURG, 13 July 2015 – Aneurin Gounden tops a jam-packed leaderboard in the first round of the Nomads National Order of Merit at Bryanston Country Club on Monday, but Gauteng North’s Werner Deyzel and Cliffie Thompson are within striking distance of the lead.

Just three weeks after Matt Saulez lifted the Nomads National Order of Merit Coastal title at St Francis Links, Gounden has a chance to emulate his 2014 SA Under-19 Inter-Provincial team-mate and claim his first national title. Continue reading →

GWANGJU, Korea (11 July 2015) – Andrew van der Knaap and Jason Smith produced a solid final round 140 to lift South Africa to ninth overall in the 20-team Men’s Golf Competition at the Summer Universiade in Gwangju, Korea on Saturday.

Van der Knaap, inspired by long-time friend Brandon Stone’s six-under-par 66 on the Challenge Tour, toured the Naju Gold Lake Country Club layout in 69 strokes.

Fellow Gauteng North golfers Jason Smith contributed a 71 and Teaghan Gauche a non-counting 76.

The strong finish from Van der Knap and Smith took South Africa’s 72-hole tally to 581. Continue reading →

JOHANNESBURG, 9 July 2015 –  It was a little more work than he planned on, but the result was precisely the one Herman Loubser was hoping for. On a day of high drama, Loubser squandered a five stroke overnight lead and had to fend off a spirited attack from Gauteng North’s Werner Deyzel at Randpark Golf Club.

However, when it mattered most, the 16-year-old Boland junior holed crucial putts at the closing holes of the Bushwillow Course to close out for a one stroke victory in the Nomads SA Boys Under-17 Championship.

Loubser signed off with a 73 to triumph on nine-under-par 279 and win by same margin he lost last year’s championship to Dylan Naidoo at Polokwane Golf Club.

“I can’t even describe how sweet this feels after coming so close last year,” said Loubser, who now owns two SA Boys titles, having claimed a six stroke victory in the Nomads SA Boys U-15 Championship in 2014.

Deyzel from Woodhill Country Club signed for a three-under-69 to take second on 280. Continue reading →

BENONI, 10 July 2015 – Sixty of the SAGDB’s brightest talents showcased their golf expertise in the inaugural SAGDB / Nomads Imperial Auto MFC Golf Challenge held at Benoni Country Club on 6 and 7 July.

Although the SAGDB has been blazing a trail for golf development in South Africa since 1999, this marked the first time that rising stars from 10 golf unions across South Africa challenged each other in a team competition on a national stage. Continue reading →

DURBAN, 10 July 2015 – Gauteng North’s Carrie Park celebrated a double return to the winner’s circle in the Gauteng North Championship this week and is targeting more success in the Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Championship at Kloof Country Club from 12-16 July.

Park claimed the Stroke Play title on Monday and defeated Lejan Lewthwaite at the 20^th hole to clinch the Match Play title at Zwartkop Country Club on Wednesday.

“It feels like this has been a long time coming, because I’ve been playing really very well for a while now,” said Park. Continue reading →