AICHI-PREFECTURE, Japan (16 June 2016) – The South African Boys team moved to third in the 2016 TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup Supported by JAL, but the Girls Team lost a little footing on day three of the prestigious international teams event in Toyota City, Aichi-Prefecture, Japan.GIRLS COMPETITION
The South African Girls team slipped to eighth in the Girls Competition as the United States leapfrogged Japan with the lead at 13 under 419. The USA team posted a third round total of 139 to open up a five stroke lead on the defending champions.
Gauteng’s Ivanna Samu signed for a 74 and Gauteng North’s Danielle du Toit contributed a 76 to combine for 150 to take the team total to eight over 440. Kaleigh Telfer from Gauteng returned a non-counting 78.
“The weather was perfect for golf, overcast and much cooler,” said Womens Golf South Africa national coach Val Holland. “The course was set up tough with good pin positions but the players had to take the slope into consideration with their approach shots to avoid being on the wrong side of the slope.
“There were not many highlights, but Kaleigh made a great recovery from a very wayward drive on the 10th to save par and Danielle nearly holed out for eagle on the 10th. All in all, the players were disappointed with their performance, but look forward to the last round and really want to post some low numbers.”
Samu held on to a spot in the top 10 of the Girls Individual Competition, although the Ruimsig golfer slipped from joint sixth to a tie for ninth. Meanwhile overnight leader Kristen Gillman from the United States stretched her lead to six shots at 10 under 206 over Riri Sadoyama from Japan.
BOYS COMPETITION
The United States shot a second-straight 202 to move to 29 under 210 and moved 11 strokes clear of Thailand, while South Africa posted its lowest total for the week – a seven-under-par 206 – to move into sole third at 16 under 623.
Dylan Naidoo from Central Gauteng chewed up the Ishino Course at Chukyo Golf Club to anchor the team with a blistering six-under-par 65. Herman Loubser from Boland returned a 70, Central Gauteng’s Marco Steyn posted a 71 and Dylan Mostert from Ekurhuleni carded a non-counting 73.
“The boys played really well in trying conditions,” said South African Golf Association Golf Integration Manager Eden Thompson. “It rained lightly for most of the round and we had breezy conditions with swirling winds over the first 12 or so holes.
“Dylan M really knuckled down today, but unfortunately he finished with a bogey at the last after his layup on the par five settled into a sand filled divot. He didn’t strike his third shot well enough off the sand and the ball pulled up short in the hazard that fronts the green.
“Marco described his round as Groundhog Day. He offset a bogey at two with a birdie at seven, but it was pars all the way in. He has been hitting the ball great, but just hasn’t been able to buy a putt all week and today was no different.
“A bit of good luck at the last hole finally brought a smile to his face, though. He was in the fairway bunker on 18 and hit his layup shot a little thin. The ball hit the face of the bunker and bounced into the hazard. Having lipped out enough times, the golfing gods finally smiled down on him and his ball hit a rock in the hazard and bounced out back into the fairway. He still had to hit a five iron in for his third, but this was always better than the alternative.”
Loubser played solidly over the first 12 holes. He reeled in birdies at three, five and 10 and was two under with six to play when he reached what the players refer to as the scoring zone.
“Unfortunately he didn’t manage to improve on his position and the frustration led to a silly three-putt on 16 from about 15 feet,” Thompson said.
“Dylan N once again put the best score on the board after he started the round with a bogey when his drive down the middle of the fairway came to rest in a divot. From there he hit his second over the green in thick rough and could not up and down.”
The drop seemed to spur the 19-year-old on as he piled on birdies at three and five and boxed a 10-footer for eagle at the par five seventh. Naidoo had a little stumble on 12, but he rallied towards the end and notched a brace of birdies at 15 and 16 for his 65.
The Modderfontein golfer rocketed to the top of the standings in the Boys Individual Competition. He leads at 14 under 199 with a five shot lead on Kousuke Hamamoto from Thailand and American Matthew Wolff.
GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
419 (-13) United States 137 143 139
424 (-8) Japan 135 144 145
429 (-3) Spain 139 141 149
431 (-1) Korea 141 146 144
433 (+1) Italy 145 139 149
435 (+3) Argentina 139 147 149
436 (+4) Mexico 148 147 141
440 (+8) South Africa 148 142 150
455 (+23) Australia 152 147 156
GIRLS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (top 10 plus SA players)
206 (-10) Kristen Gillman USA 66 69 71
212 (-4) Riri Sadoyama JAP 67 71 74
213 (-3) Alyaa Abdulghany USA 71 74 68
214 (-2) Mone Inami JAP 68 75 71; Angelica Moresco ITA 68 70 76; Ana Pelaez ESP 69 72 73
216 (L) Isabella Fiero MEX 75 71 70; Jung Ahram KOR 73 71 72
217 (+1) Maria Parra ESP 70 71 76; Ivanna Samu RSA 71 72 74; Macarena Aguilera ARG 73 71 73
225 (+9) Kaleigh Telfer RSA 77 70 78
228 (+12) Danielle du Toit RSA 77 75 76
BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
610 (-29) United States 206 202 202
621 (-18) Thailand 206 202 213
623 (-16) South Africa 210 207 206
624 (-15) Germany 204 211 209
626 (-13) Korea 211 215 200
631 (-8) Sweden 205 212 214
635 (-4) Japan 206 219 210
636 (-3) Canada 210 216 210; Chile 214 214 208
642 (+3) Norway 212 216 214
648 (+9) New Zealand 222 215 211
651 (+12) Mexico 216 221 214
655 (+16) Netherlands 220 214 221
657 (+18) Zimbabwe 220 221 216
668 (+29) Brazil 223 223 222
BOYS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (top 10 plus SA players)
199 (-14) Dylan Naidoo RSA 66 68 65
204 (-9) Kousuke Hamamoto THA 67 69 68; Matthew Wolff USA 68 66 70
205 (-8) Joaquin Niemann CHL 68 71 66
206 (-7) Oh Seungtaek KOR 70 69 67; Tony Gil CAN 65 73 68; Will Thomson USA 69 71 66; Austin Eckroat USA 72 65 69; Sadom Kaewkajana THA 71 65 70
207 (-6) Marc Hammer GER 66 72 69; Takumi Kanaya JAP 67 71 69
209 (-4) Herman Loubser RSA 69 70 70
218 (+5) Marco Steyn RSA 75 72 71
228 (+15) Dylan Mostert RSA 86 69 73
PHOTO: Danielle du Toit from Gauteng North; WGSA.