Du Toit sets the pace at Nomads Gowrie SA U-15 Challenge
Jean du Toit leads the first round of the Nomads Gowrie SA U-15 Challenge by one shot at Gowrie Farm Golf Estate; credit GolfRSA.
28 April 2021 – Eagle Canyon’s Jean du Toit set the clubhouse target with an opening round of three-under-par 74 and his lead stood uncontested until action wrapped up in the Nomads Gowrie SA U-15 Challenge at Gowrie Farm Golf Estate on Wednesday.
Du Toit followed on a top 10 finish in the Nomads SA U-15 Challenge at Selbourne Golf Club in January with solid performances in the Central Gauteng Golf Union junior events over the last few months.
On a tough scoring day in windy conditions, the 13-year-old made a strong debut in the national event, mixing five bogeys with birdies on the par four seventh and ninth holes. “The course is beautiful. The fairways and greens roll really nicely, but the wind was blowing heavily,” he said. “I didn’t hit my irons well, but my short game saved me.”
Du Toit will sleep on a one-shot cushion over Bryan Newman from Pecanwoord and Centurion’s Dian Kruger.
Nicolas van der Vyver from Strand Golf Club finished in fourth place won five over.
Hendré van der Watt from Marquard Golf Club, Roelof Craig from Silver Lakes and Country Club Johannesburg’s Vuyisani Makhama a further shot adrift.
Makhama is one of the juniors in this week’s field who will be travelling to Sun City on the weekend for the inaugural Nedbank Junior Challenge from 3-5 May, alongside fellow South African Golf Development Board rising star Eric Ncube.
The 14-year-old Wanderers golfer is just a further shot back in a group of six players.
The rest of the juniors on eight-over who close out the top 10 includes SAGDB trio Josh Daniels from Kuils River Golf Club, Atlantic Beach Links’ Tristan Boise and Akil Maduray form Mount Edgecombe, as well as debutant Juan Coetzee from Serengeti and Reinhardt Uys, representing Oubaai, who finished in third place the last time the event was played in 2019.