AICHI-PREFECTURE, Japan (19 June 2015) – Japan scored a clean sweep in the world’s premier junior golf international team championship at Chukyo Golf Club, while all three African teams rallied in the final round of the 23rd Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Aichi-Prefecture, Japan on Friday.
The Japanese Boys team fired a tournament-best 13-under-par 200 at the Ishino Course to claim the Boys’ Division title by four strokes from Sweden on a winning total of 25-under-par 827.
South Arica carded rounds of 210, 217, 211 and 213 to place eighth on one-under-par 851.
Central Gauteng’s Dylan Naidoo, Herman Loubser from Boland and Gauteng North’s Keegan de Lange produced a hat-trick of 71s in the final round, while Marco Steyn from Central returned a non-counting 72.
“Our boys played really well, but it was just not their week,” said TuksSport Golf Club and Academies head coach Llewellyn van Leeuwen.
“All four players were good in executing the game plan and putted well, but the putts just didn’t drop for them.
“They put in a big effort and remained professional throughout the week, which is all a coach can ask for. I am really proud of these boys and I have no doubt that all four of them are going places.”
South Africa automatically qualified All-Africa Junior Golf Championship winners in Zambia and neighbours Zimbabwe earned a spot in the field as the runners-up for a second year running.
The silver medallists hugged the bottom of the leaderboard over the first three rounds, however a spirited final round effort from David Amm (70), Kieran Vincent (71) and Justin Kersten (71) served up their best round of the week. A final round 212 helped Zimbabwe to 12th overall on 16 over 868.
Meanwhile the Japanese Girls team held off Korea to lift the Girls’ Division title for a second consecutive year. The host nation triumphed with a four stroke victory on 12-under-par 564.
The South African team, who slipped to eighth with rounds of 146, 152 and 152, also made a huge effort in the final round to tie for sixth with Columbia on 15 over 591.
Top ranked Ivanna Samu gave the side a much-needed boost with a superb two under 70, while fellow Gauteng players Kaleigh Telfer and Natasha Carlsson both returned 72s for a 142.
“Ivanna had a super round, but struggled with the putter and Kaleigh nearly had a hole-in-one at 11, but unfortunately the ball ran on a bit after nearly pitching in the hole,” said Womens Golf South Africa president Karen Olivant.
“Natasha is not that long off the tee, but she is really did well to finish at level par. They had a much better day and they could have gone even lower, if the putts had dropped.
“I am really proud of the team in their debut performance in this world-class event. It was a great experience to walk with the girls this week and to watch them at work. Overall, they held their own in this strong field and were just let down by their putting.”
BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
827 (-25) Japan 206-210-211-200
831 (-21) Sweden 206-211-206-208
838 (-14) Korea 210-209-209-210
839 (-13) United States 208-213-209-209
840 (-12) Norway 211-202-214-213
842 (-10) Canada 210-214-204-214
844 (-8) Mexico 217-210-215-202
851 (-1) South Africa 210-217-211-213
853 (+1) Chile 212-208-217-216
861 (+9) New Zealand 216-213-215-217
865 (+13) Scotland 217-217-211-220
868 (+16) Zimbabwe 220-218-218-212
869 (+17) Brazil 218-219-214-218
869 (+17) Italy 215-217-216-221
873 (+21) China 215-217-213-228
BOYS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (top 5)
271 (-13) Ren Okazaki JAP 67-68-71-65
273 (-11) Joaquin Niemann CHI 67-66-72-68
275 (-9) Takumi Kanaya JAP 68-71-70-66; Chandler Phillips USA 68-70-69-68; Marcus Svensson SWE 68-71-67-69
282 (-2) Dylan Naidoo RSA 70 71 70 71
283 (-1) Herman Loubser RSA 71 70 71 71
291 (+7) Keegan de Lange RSA 69 76 75 71
(+15) Marco Steyn RSA 80 77 70 72 299
Zimbabwe
281 (-3) Kieran Vincent ZIM 71 70 69 71
294 (+10) Justin Kersten ZIM 76 72 75 71
297 (+13) David Amm ZIM 73 77 77 70
303 (+19) Jack Allard ZIM 77 76 74 76
GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
564 (-12) Japan 140-134-145-145
568 (-8) Korea 143-145-142-138
580 (+4) Mexico 152-146-143-139
584 (+8) United States 147-143-151-143
585 (+9) France 146-146-149-144
591 (+15) South Africa 146-151-152-142; Colombia 146-146-152-147
593 (+17) New Zealand 149-148-149-147
GIRLS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (top 5)
283 (-5) Jo Hyunkyung KOR 71-73-71-68; Yumi Matsubara JAP 68-67-74-74
285 (-3) Minami Hiruta JAP 72-70-72-71
288 (Even) Maria Fassi MEX 77-72-71-68; Heo Hyeonju KOR 72-75-71-70
294 (+6) Ivanna Samu RSA 74 73 77 70
298 (+10) Kaleigh Telfer RSA 72 78 76 72
302 (+14) Natasha Carlsson RSA 76 78 76 72
Marco Steyn from Central Gauteng, Boland’s Herman Loubser and Gauteng North Golf Union’s Keegan de Lange at the 23rd Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Aichi-Prefecture, Japan; credit Karen Olivant.