Month: February 2013

Lawrence on brink of Sanlam SA Amateur history

One more victory and Mpumalanga teenager Thriston Lawrence could become the youngest player to lift the Sanlam South African Amateur Championship title since the prestigious tournament launched in 1906. The 16-year-old Nelspruit golfer dispatched South Africa’s number two Zander Lombard 2&1 in the morning quarterfinals and held his nerve to beat Country Club Johannesburg’s own Louis Taylor by the same margin to reach the final on Thursday. But the reigning SA Boys U-19 Match Play champion knows he is in for a tough battle against Southern Cape’s unheralded Andrew Light, who eliminated the last Scot standing to set up the first home final since 2009.

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Down to Light to slay Scottish hat-trick hopes

It’s down to unheralded Southern Cape golfer, Andrew Light, to break the Scottish stranglehold on the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship in this afternoon’s semi-finals at Country Club Johannesburg. The 23-year-old George golfer will go into battle against 17-year-old St Andrews golfer Ewan Scott, who is shouldering the hopes of a Scottish hat-trick in the country’s most prestigious amateur championship.

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Taylors go head-to-head at Sanlam SA Amateur

It’s never easy to compete against your sibling. Just ask formula 1 drivers Michael and Ralf Schumacher. Boxers Leon and Michael Spinks. Or tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams. If you want to reach the top, you just have to grin it and bear it, but it can get even tougher when the man you’re up against, is your mirror image.

The Taylor brothers from Harrismith usually pose a lethal combination when they combine for the same side, like when they played for Hilton’s first team cricket or the U-19 KZN hockey team. Having chosen a career in golf, the 23-year-olds both play out of Country Club Johannesburg, both represent Central Gauteng and, on Monday, both qualified for the match play stage. However, a cruel twist of fate set Louis and Eddie on a collision course on the same side of the draw. A meeting in the third round of the country’s most prestigious amateur event today was simply inevitable.

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Els looking to repeat history at Sanlam SA Amateur

When four-time Major winner Ernie Els lifted the South African Amateur Championship title in 1986, his father Neels was the first person to share in the prestigious celebration. But Neels Els never expected to go through it all again. Twenty-seven years later, having covered miles of global fairways with his famed son in the last three decades, Els Snr was back where it all started, but this time, he was not just cheering on his grandson, Jovan Rebula, but doing bag-duty, as well. The 15-year-old nephew of Els made his debut in the country’s flagship amateur event on Sunday and Els Snr said this was an opportunity he just couldn’t pass up.

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Lugg makes historic debut at Sanlam SA Amateur

South Africa Special Olympics gold medallist Thomas Lugg set a new benchmark for Special Olympians world-wide when he made a historic debut in the 2013 Sanlam South African Amateur Championship at Country Club Johannesburg this week. The world’s number one Special Olympian golfer moved one step closer to his long-term goal to compete in the pro ranks when he lined up alongside the country’s top amateurs in the 36-hole Stroke Play Qualifier of the South African Golf Association’s flagship event on Sunday and Monday. Lugg’s achievement was made more significant by the fact that he qualified for the championship on merit, having shot a 67 at Glenvista to claim one of 25 spots on offer to a 42-man field.

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Lara takes Border trophy

Lara Weinstein

Gauteng’s Lara Weinstein wins the 2013 Border Championship at East London Golf Club

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Porteous claims Proudfoot at Sanlam SA Amateur

South Africa’s top amateur golfer Haydn Porteous issued a stern warning to his contemporaries when he clinched the prestigious Proudfoot Trophy with an emphatic five stroke victory at the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship on Monday.

The overnight leader shot a four-under-par 68 at Country Club Johannesburg’s Rocklands course to win the 36-hole Stroke Play Qualifier with a winning score of 10-under-par 134.

Some of South Africa’s most illustrious golfers have lifted the coveted trophy, including four-time Major winner Ernie Els, two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen, 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman and six-time European Tour winner, Richard Sterne.

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Rebula, Buitendag play their way into at Sanlam SA Amateur

Jade Buitendag’s putter caught fire on the back-nine of the Rocklands Course at Country Club Johannesburg and paved his way into the match play phase of this year’s Sanlam SA Amateur Championship. The 18-year-old East London golfer carded a two-under-par 70 that lifted him into a share for second at five-under alongside Southern Cape’s Jovan Rebula, who overcame club selection and accuracy issues to produce a five under 67. The pair trail overnight leader Haydn Porteous by one shot and, although the gap could widen and players in the afternoon could overtake them, the duo is certain of their match play spots.

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Porteous sounds warning at Sanlam SA Amateur Qualifier

Haydn Porteous’s early 66 at Country Club Johannesburg held up for the first round lead in the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship Qualifier, but England’s Toby Tree and George golfer Andrew Light were nipping at his heels at the end of the day. The 18-year-old Gauteng standout has put himself in prime position to make a strong run for amateur golf’s most prestigious title with eight birdies at the 7,009m Rocklands course, but Porteous will carry a slender one shot lead into Monday’s final round.

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Porteous hits the front at Sanlam SA Amateur Qualifier

Haydn Porteous fired an opening six-under-par 66 at Country Club Johannesburg’s Rocklands course to set the early target today’s first round of a 36-hole Stroke Play qualifier for the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship. On a day when gentle weather conditions should suggest otherwise, the Modderfontein standout was one of only eight players in the morning field to complete the first round under par. The country’s number one amateur finished one stroke clear of England’s Toby Tree and Andrew Light from Kingswood Golf Estate in George.

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In-form South Africans can shine at Sanlam SA Amateur

Winning the Sanlam South African Amateur Match Play title is the crowning glory for any South African amateur golfer. And, after foreigners claimed the last three championships, the South African contingent are determined to bring the trophy home. "We really need to step up this year," said reigning SA Stroke Play champion Haydn Porteous ahead of the Stroke Play qualifier, which tees off at Country Club Johannesburg on Sunday. "The match play format is tough, because anything can happen, but I believe South Africa has the talent and determination this year to make sure the trophy comes home."

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Porteous eyes elusive double at Sanlam SA Amateur

South Africa’s number one amateur Haydn Porteous hopes to add his name to an exclusive list of players when he tees it up at Sanlam SA Amateur Championship at Country Club Johannesburg next week.

Porteous claimed back-to-back victories in the SA Strokeplay at Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa this month and hopes to add his name to the six players who have managed to win the elusive ‘double’ in the same calendar year.

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Nobuhle does it again

Nobuhle Dlamini

WGSA No 1 ranked player Nobuhle Dlamini retains both EC Provincial titles.

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Porteous defends SA Stroke Play title

Haydn Porteous became only the third player in the history of the South African Stroke Play Championship to defend his title at the Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa on Friday.
Porteous closed with a final round of 69 to win by two strokes on 13-under-par 275. Werner Ferreira took second place on 11 under with a final round of 69, and Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti finished third on 10 under with a closing 70. The 18-year-old Gauteng Central golfer joins Dale Hayes (1969 and 1970) and David Suddards (1978 and 1979) as the only players to have defended their national Stroke Play titles.

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Porteous lines up SA Stroke Play title defence

School was a strong wind and a prickly golf course in Thursday’s third round of the South African Stroke Play Championship. And it appears Haydn Porteous took his lessons well. The South African number one and defending champion in this event signed for a two-under 70 at the Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa to lead the field on 10 under par, two strokes clear of Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti, Australia’s Brady Watt and South African Werner Ferreira.

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Ferreira stays on top in SA Stroke Play

Pretoria’s Werner Ferreira overcame the disappearance of his sand wedge shortly before tee off and signed for a three-under-par 69 to lead the South African Stroke Play Championship by one stroke at the Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa on Wednesday.
Ferreira broke free of the three-way tie for the lead he was in after the first round and climbed to nine under par through 36 holes of one of the most prestigious amateur tournaments in South Africa. It would easily be the biggest highlight of Ferreira’s career were he to go on and win this tournament. But he has plenty of experience chasing him.

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Three-way tie for SA Stroke Play lead

South Africa’s Louis Taylor and Werner Ferreira, and Australian sensation Ryan Ruffels opened with rounds of six-under-par 66 to share the lead in Tuesday’s first round of the South African Stroke Play Championship at the Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa. The trio is two strokes clear of South Africa’s Damian Naicker and Joris Etlin of France in a championship that has drawn a strong international contingent on the back of last week’s Ten Nations Cup tournament.

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SA golfers face strong foreign challenge in SA Stroke Play

South Africa’s top amateurs are set to face strong international opposition in this year’s South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship, which tees off at Oubaai Golf Club from 12-15 February. South African number one and defending champion Haydn Porteous will spearhead the local challenge alongside his Ten Nations Cup teammates Zander Lombard, Louis Taylor and Dylan Raubenheimer, ranked second, fifth and seventh respectively on the current South African Golf Association’s (SAGA) rankings.

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Aussies trump New Zealand for Ten Nations Cup glory

It came right down to the wire, but Australia held their nerve and a spirited challenge from New Zealand to complete a historic victory at the inaugural Ten Nations Cup at Kingswood Golf Estate in George on Saturday.

Brady Watt, Lucas Herbert, Ryan Ruffles and Geoff Drakeford combined to win the international team’s competition with a 38-under-par total of 826, finishing just a single shot clear of the Kiwis.

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Aussies take charge at Ten Nations Cup

Moving day in Friday’s third round of the Ten Nations Cup at Kingswood Golf Estate saw Australia take command, New Zealand make a move, Argentina cruise into contention and South Africa off the rocks.

Victoria’s 14-year-old Ryan Ruffles began the charge for Australia, riding a hot putter to six birdies and an eagle to cover the 6,123m layout in a blistering seven-under-par 65. Team mates Geoff Drakeford and Brady Ward contributed a pair of 69s for a third round total of 13 under 203 that lifted the side into pole position on 27-under-par 621.

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