Curro Aurora has early control at SA High School Champs
Curro Aurora made an excellent start to their title defence in the eighth SA High School Championships and leads the field at Devonvale Golf and Wine Estate; credit GolfRSA.
2 August 2018 – Curro Aurora picked up where they left off last year and set the first round pace in the eighth South African High School Championship on Thursday.
South African Golf Development Board trio Carl Mwale, Cole Stevens and Kieron van Wyk – all members of last year’s victorious team – combined for an opening five-under-par 211 at Devonvale Golf and Wine Estate to move Curro Aurora into the top spot.
Mwale anchored the team with a three-under 69. His effort was well supported by Stevens and Van Wyk, who contributed respective rounds of 70 and 72. The fourth member of the team, Cara Ford, returned a non-counting 79.
Last year, Curro Aurora held off a strong challenge from Glenwood House to win by one shot victory at Randpark Golf Club and the defending champions are bound to come under pressure again in Friday’s final round, with at least three teams in close pursuit.
Christiaan Maas matched Mwale’s 69, Francois van der Walt carded 70 and Dean Sanders registered a round of 73 to take Die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool Pretoria into second on 212.
The Golf School of Excellence finished in third on 215, courtesy of a 70 from Brendan Porter, even-par 72 from Titouan Berny and a 73 from Benji Stein.
Meanwhile South Africa’s leading amateur Wilco Nienaber guided Grey College Secondary to fourth on 217 alongside Neil Delport and Christiaan Heyman, who posted respective rounds of 74 and 79.
Nienaber, who claimed the Individual title last year by eight strokes, threw down the gauntlet with a blistering start and finish.
He was four under through the first three holes after a birdie-eagle-birdie start and signed off with an eagle at 17 and birdie at 18. An opening eight-under 64 will see the matriculant start the final round with a four shot lead over Maas and Mwale.
Team Result Round 1
211 Curro Aurora
212 Die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool Pretoria
215 The Golf School of Excellence
217 Grey College Secondary
219 Paarl Boys High
220 Glenwood House Independent School
221 Rundle College
225 Grey High School
225 De Villiers Graaf High School
230 Woodlands International College
230 St. Stithians Boys
231 Daniel Pienaar Technical High School
234 Clifton College
235 Fairmont High School
237 HTS Middelburg
242 Tuks Sport High School
245 Rondebosch Boys High
246 Klerksdorp Hoërskool
247 Middelburg Hoërskool
248 Hoërskool Lichtenburg
254 Marais Viljoen High
Individual Result – Round 1 (Top 20)
64 Wilco Nienaber
69 Christiaan Maas; Carl Mwale
70 Kyle Ward; Francois van der Walt; Nicola Gerhardsen; Brendan Porter; Cole Stevens
71 Daniel Cronje; Jean Pierre van der Watt
72 Titouan Berny; Ian Botha; Reghard Viljoen; Kieron van Wyk; Damian Osner
73 Dean Sanders; Benji Stein
74 Grant Ferreira; Tyran Snyders; Neil Delport; Angelo Keffers; Saul Moss; Shaunak Rama; Mike Saxer; Tiaan van der Bank; Liam van Deventer; Francois Cilliers
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.