Gauteng North in driver’s seat at Nomads SA U-13s

26 September 2019 – Gauteng North stayed on course for a successful title defence in the Nomads SA Under-13 Championship, but Grant Labuschagne from Central Gauteng closed in on Dujuan Snyman in the individual competition Thursday’s second round at Devonvale Wine and Golf Estate.

Gauteng North opened up a yawning lead on the chasing pack with an opening round total of 361 and a combined total of 374 stretched their advantage to from 11 to 14 shots.

Woodhill Country Club’s Snyman, who led the challenge for Gauteng North with a flawless seven-under-par 65 on day one, once again set the pace alongside Zinan Maimane from Silver Lakes Country Club for the defending champions.

The pair both went around the championship layout in 72 strokes.

Dian Kruger added 74 to their tally, while Ross Campbell and Benjamin van Wyk posted a pair of 78s to keep Gauteng North in pole position on 735. Roelof Craig carded a non-counting 79.

Boston Franks (74), Andries van der Vyver (74), Nicolas van der Vyver (75), Tristan Boise (75) and Min Jun Heo (79) combined for 377 to keep Western Province in second place on 749.

Central Gauteng held on to third on 762, while 2017 champions North West remained in fourth position on 775 and Ekurhuleni rounded out the top five on 781.

While there was little movement in the team competition, the battle for individual honours heated up.

Defending champion Snyman had a comfortable three-shot cushion after his opening 65, but four dropped shots in the last four holes could prove costly for the Woodhill junior after Labuschagne cut his overnight lead to two shots.

Labuschagne overcame a bogey start on the 10th with a trio of birdies from the 11th hole and the The Ruimsig Country Club junior offset two further bogeys with five more gains for a five-under-par 67 to move to second on 139.

Marno Lange (71) from Serengeti Estates, Steenberg’s Boston Franks (74) and Wihandre Kruger (76) from Potchefstroom Country Club finished a further five shots back in joint third on even-par.

Maimane climbed to sixth on one-over, with Dewan de Bruin from Schoeman Park rose to seventh after successive rounds of 74. Dian Kruger (74) from Centurion Country Club, Strand Golf Club’s Andries van der Vyver (74), East London junior Benjamin Weber (76) and Jaydon van Breda from ERPM (81) complete the top 10 on five-over-par 149.

ROUND 2 TEAM LEADERBOARD
735 Gauteng North 361 374
749 Western Province 372 377
762 Central Gauteng 383 379
775 North West 390 385
781 Ekurhuleni 382 399
782 Border 399 383
795 Kwazulu Natal 394 401
809 Southern Cape 411 398
836 SA Kids 420 416
842 Boland 432 410
914 Mpumalanga 465 449

ROUND 2 INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD (top 10)
137 Dujuan Snyman 65 72
139 Grant Labuschagne 72 67
144 Marno Lange 73 71; Boston Franks 70 74; Wihandre Kruger 68 76
145 Zinan Maimane 73 72
148 Dewan de Bruin 74 74
149 Dian Johan Kruger 75 74; Andries van der Vyver 75 74; Benjamin Weber 73 76; Jaydon van Breda 68 81

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.