Du Piesanie leads SA Amateur qualifying

DURBAN (2 March 2008) – Port Elizabeth’s Divan du Piesanie opened with a three under par 69 in testing conditions to lead the morning field in the 36-hole qualifying for the Glacier SA Amateur Golf Championship at Royal Durban Golf Club on Sunday.

With a brisk south-westerly wind buffeting the course, the 21-year-old Du Piesanie overcame a bogey on his first hole – the 10th – and went on to make seven birdies and a further three bogeys to lead by one shot over Welshman Craig Evans.

“The wind was really gusting out there, but I came through the first nine pretty well. Then I made a couple of bad mistakes on the second nine,” said Du Piesanie, who was four under through 11 holes. He then three-putted the par-five fourth from three feet for a bogey and also bogeyed the seventh before a birdie at the ninth.

Western Province amateur Cameron Johnston and 17-year-old German star Max Fischer both opened with rounds of 71.

Dylan Frittelli, the number one ranked amateur in South Africa, signed for a 75, while Jacques Blaauw, winner of the SA Amateur Stroke Play Championship last month, posted a 77.

Welshman Nigel Edwards, the 2006 SA Amateur champion and currently ranked 27th in the world, signed for a first round of 74.

Germany leads in the International Teams Event, which is played concurrently with the qualifier.

Fischer’s 71 and the 72 of teammate Marius Junker puts them on 143, one clear of the Welsh duo of Edwards and Evans.