Blaauw best SA player after 1st Round of British Amateur
Jacques Blaauw fired a one over par 71 today, on the Turnberry Ailsa course, in the first round of 36 hole Qualifying for the 113th Amateur Championship, being played over two links golf courses on the west coast of Scotland, making him the leading South African.
Blaauw is five shots off the pace, set by Swedens Jesper Kennegard, who played the Turnberry Kintyre course. His round was a 66, six under par.
Enjoying the sunny benign weather the 19 year old Swede, whose shoes caused him so much pain, that by the time he finished the 12th hole, he took them off and completed the remaining holes in his socks. He will not be complaining, the last six holes he played in three under par, including an eagle at the 17th.
“I have never been in such pain,” he explained afterwards.
Blaauw recorded two birdies and a double bogey on his front nine and three bogeys and two birdies on the back nine in his round today. This puts him in a tie with 23 other players, in 23rd position overall.
The next best South African, also playing the Ailsa course, was Derik Ferreira, one shot behind on a two over par 72.
Cameron Johnston recorded a disappointing 76, six over par, also on the Ailsa course.
Of the South Africans on the Turnberry Kintyre course, 22 year old Port Elizabeth Golf Club member, Lyle Rowe was the best performing player a level par 72, placing him tied on 38th overall. He carded five birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on his way to a regulation score.
Two shots back is Adrian Ford and a further shot back is the talented Matthew Carvell.
Amateur golf’s ‘major’ has attracted 288 players from more than 24 countries.
All players who played the Ailsa today will play the Kintyre course tomorrow while players who played Kintyre will move over to the Ailsa course.
Tomorrow, after the conclusion of second round, there will be a cut to the leading 64 players and ties. Those players making the cut will then play match play to determine the 2008 Amateur Champion. All matches, played over the Ailsa course, will be over 18 holes, except the final which will be over 36 holes.
Looking at last year’s qualifying score, 141, almost all the South African contingent will have to go under par, and well under par in some cases, to make the cut if it is anything like that of 2007.
113th Amateur Championship
Turnberry, Scotland
36 hole Stroke Play Qualifying
First Round scores (Overall position in brackets)
Ailsa Course (par 70)
67 – Dale Whitnell (ENG) (2)
69 – James Hamilton (NZL), Jacques Guillet (FRA) (6T)
South Africans:
71 – Jacques Blaauw (23T)
72 – Derik Ferreira (38T)
76 – Cameron Johnston, Michael Palmer (143T)
78 – Jake Redman, Dewald Smit, Christiaan van der Merwe (202T)
79 – JJ Senekal, Justin Turner, Johan Bekker (230T)
Kintyre Course (par 72)
66 – Jesper Kennegard (SWE) (1)
68 – Callum Macaulay (SCO), Sam Hutsby (ENG) (3T)
South Africans:
72 – Lyle Rowe (38T)
74 – Adrian Ford (79T)
75 – Matthew Carvell (113T)
77 – MJ Daffue, Johan de Beer (167T)
79 – Charles Durnian, Louis Calitz (230T)
80 – Mark Fensham (250T)
81 – Ryan Clarke (261T)