De Villiers Graaff drives to SA High Schools victory

Just a year after their first appearance in the SA High School Championship, De Villiers Graaff High School blew away the competition and celebrated victory in the prestigious high school team event in East London on Friday. Herman Loubser, Tyron Davidowitz and Daniel Cronje posted rounds of 228 and 219 at East London Golf Club to steer the team to a seven stroke victory on nine over 447.

The trio laid the foundation for their success with an opening 228.

Loubser guided the team home with a final round two-under-par 71, while Davidowitz and Cronje produced a pair of 74s for a 219 that cemented the side’s victory.

Reigning Tshwane Junior Open champion Jayden Schaper fired a four under 69 and Jordan Burnand and Casandra Hall contributed rounds of 73 and 77 to lift St Dunstan’s College to second on 454.

Kieron van Wyk, Cole Stevens and Woo-Ju Son combined with respective rounds of 71, 74 and 77 for Curro Aurora, who finished third on 458.

Loubser, Davidowitz, Cronje and Willem Boshoff – the fourth member of the De Villiers Graaff High School team are all members of the De Villiers Graaff Golf Academy that was founded just over two years ago in the small Boland hamlet.

“I am incredibly proud of their achievement, considering that the academy is only two years old and this is only their second appearance in this championship,” said De Villiers Graaff High School principal, Gesina Loubser.

“We were so excited when they finished fifth overall last year, so you can only imagine our excitement after winning this year. To see them go all the way to the winner’s circle is unbelievable. We are a very small high school with only 252 learners and this will not only inspire the rest of our scholars, but it will really motivate the younger pupils at the Golf Academy.

“Our primary school team also played in the Ernie Els SA Primary School Championship for the first time last year. They finished ninth overall and this year, they took third place. We are going home with a gold and a bronze from both school team events and that really is an incredible achievement for the teams, the schools and the De Villiers Graaff Golf Academy.”

Loubser also clinched the Individual Competition on three under 143.

He finished one stroke ahead of Franklin Manchest from Rundell College, who vaulted to second with a blistering eight-under-par 65 in the final round.

TEAM RESULT
(Best 3 scores of 4 to count)
447 De Villiers Graaff 228 Herman Loubser 72 Tyron Davidowitz 78 Daniel Cronje 78; 219 Herman Loubser 71 Tyron Davidowitz 74 Daniel Cronje 74
454 St. Dunstans College 235 Casandra Hall 77 Jayden Schaper 78 Jordan Burnand 80; 219 Jayden Schaper 69 Jordan Burnand 73 Casandra Hall 77
458 Curro Aurora 234 Kieron van Wyk 74 Woo-Ju Son 79 Cole Stevens 81; 224 Kieron van Wyk 71 Cole Stevens 74 Woo-Ju Son 79
459 Hoërskool Rustenburg 235 Barend van Zyl 76 Ray J van Rensuburg 78 Christoffel Enslin 81; 224 Christoffel Enslin 73 Barend van Zyl 73 Ray J van Rensuburg 78
464 Rundle College 244 Franklin Manchest 79 Jethro Newton 81 Caylum Boon 84; 220 Franklin Manchest 65 Caylum Boon 76 Jethro Newton 79
467 Grey College 242 Wilco Nienaber 75 Malherbe Oosthuizen 81 AJ Bezuidenhout 86; 225 Malherbe Oosthuizen 71 Wilco Nienaber 77 AJ Bezuidenhout 77
471 Outeniqua Hoërskool 231 Christo Lamprecht 76 Eben Spangenberg 77 Pieter Zietsman 78; 240 Eben Spangenberg 74 Carlo Heunis 81 Christo Lamprecht 85
472 Paul Roos Gymnasium 246 Crismar Engelbrecht 77 Niehaus Loots 82 Albert Jacobs 87; 226 Albert Jacobs 72 Crismar Engelbrecht 77 Niehaus Loots 77
472 Die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool Pretoria 243 Dawid Opperman 75 Dean Sanders 83 Adriaan Swart 85; 229 Jean Hannah 73 Adriaan Swart 76 Dawid Opperman 80
478 Selborne College 246 Daniel van Seumeren 79 Damian Osner 81 Dylan James Reid 86; 232 Daniel van Seumeren 76 Riley Naude 77 Damian Osner 79
480 Hoërskool Waterkloof 243 Tyron Taylor 75 Jean du Randt 82 Juan Opperman 86; 237 Jean du Randt 72 Tyron Taylor 81 Juan Opperman 84
482 Hudson Park High School 245 Tristan Naude 77 Byron Toogood 80 Robert Howard Jones 88; 237 Tristan Naude 76 Robert Howard Jones 78 Byron Toogood 83
490 Hoërskool Monument 244 Simon du Plooy 78 Zandre Bellingan 81 Ryan Beyers 85; 246 Ryan Beyers 76 Zandre Bellingan 84 Jeane-Andrie Cilliers 86
493 HTS Middelburg 246 Hanro Kilian 78 Reghard Viljoen 80 Stian van Aswegen 88; 247 Reghard Viljoen 81 Hanro Kilian 81 Stian van Aswegen 85
495 Hilton College 251 Michael Terblanche 81 Chris Woollam 83 Michael Makris 87; 244 Chris Woollam 77 Michael Makris 82 Michael Terblanche 85
496 Fairmont High School 254 Ian Botha 83 Joshua Wiese 85 Connor de Groote 86; 242 Connor de Groote 78 Kaylah Williams 82 Ian Botha 82
502 Grey High 248 Reece Coleman 74 Lumkile Mantshiyo 81 Jonno Southwood 93; 254 Reece Coleman 83 Andrew Jeffrey 85 Jonno Southwood 86
504 Midstream College 258 Otto van Buynder 82 Edwin Kruger 87 Wessel (Jnr) van Wyk 89; 246 Otto van Buynder 77 Edwin Kruger 84 Wessel (Jnr) van Wyk 85
504 Marais Viljoen 255 Adriaan Coetzer 83 David Ross 83 John Louis Liebenberg 89; 249 David Ross 79 John Louis Liebenberg 84 Adriaan Coetzer 86
507 Nico Malan 261 Lukas Pretorius 84 Reinard Ganzevoort 85 Cheri-Lee Knoetze 92; 246 Lukas Pretorius 79 Reinard Ganzevoort 83 Cheri-Lee Knoetze 84
510 Reddam House 263 Zack Miller 81 Miles Beckenstrater 90 Daniel Benjamin 92; 247 Zack Miller 74 Michael Copeman 83 Miles Beckenstrater 90
517 Hoërskool Ben Viljoen 255 Ian Jacobs 75 Helgardt Nell 84 Rudolf Lubcker 96; 262 Ian Jacobs 78 Ludwigh Lubcker 88 Helgardt Nell 96
530 Curro Bankenveld 268 Andries Badenhorst 85 Banele Mavuso 90 Edward John Willis 93; 262 Banele Mavuso 87 Cornelius Jacobs 87 Andries Badenhorst 88

INDIVIDUAL RESULT (TOP 10)
143 Herman Loubser 72 71
144 Franklin Manchest 79 65
145 Kieron van Wyk 74 71
147 Jayden Schaper 78 69
149 Barend van Zyl 76 73
151 Eben Spangenberg 77 74
152 Malherbe Oosthuizen 81 71; Tyron Davidowitz 78 74; Daniel Cronje 78 74; Wilco Nienaber 75 77

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the South African Golf Association.