Juniors Fail to fulfil expectations
Four of South Africa’s top junior golfers went to Japan to play in the Toyota Junior World Cup of Golf, as it is now known, with high expectations. However the disappointing form shown in the first three rounds prevailed again in today’s final round. With the best three scores counting, the South African team recorded a final round score of 214, one over par, and a 72 hole total of 858, six over par. They finished thirty four shots off the pace in 12th position.
“We went to the event with high expectations but for some reason we just not click,” is how a disappointed Ann Rycraft, South African Golf Foundation President and team manager, summed up the week.
The prestigious 72 hole competition was played at the Chuyko Golf Club over the Ishino Course in the home city of the sponsor, unsurprisingly called Tokoyo City, just outside Nagoya, in Japan. Sixteen countries qualified to participate in the final.
The team competition was won by Norway who recorded a six under par 207 today giving them a 72 hole aggregate of 825, twenty seven under par. They were followed home by defending champions Sweden thee shots adrift. Despite the torrential rain that was experienced for some of the round, Sweden managed to record the best team score today, and for the competition as a whole, 201, twelve under par.
The South African team went to the event in the hope of emulating some of the national junior teams preceding them; winners in 2001 and runners up in 2000 and 2004.
However with only 18 year old team captain Dylan Frittelli, from Irene Country Club in Gauteng North, showing some indication of what they were capable of, the team was unable to mount challenge. Dylan Frittelli was the only player to go under par today, a 69, two under, and the only one in the team to record a 72 hole aggregate under par, in the individual competition, namely 280, four under.
Leon-Brink Knoll struggled to a three over today and Andre De Decker, who was back in the mix, after a disappointing day yesterday, recording a 71, level par.
JG Claasen, 17 year old from Okney Golf Club in the North West Province, was the biggest disappointment of the four players. He played his 72 holes in 302 shots, 18 over par, contributing to the team score on one day only, being yesterday, with a 76, five over, that was because De Decker was disqualified.
The honours in the individual competition was shared by two players. Anders Kristiansen, of Norway, recorded a 66 today, giving him a 72 hole total of 272, twelve under. Over night leader, Ben Cauley, of the United States, stumbled, by his standards, to a 70 today giving him the same 72 hole score as the Norwegian.
The best individual round of the competition was recorded today by Swede Pontus Gad, a seven under par 64.
Scores:
Team Competition (par 213 – 3 scores to count)
Final Scores
825 – Norway (213,205,200,207)
828 – Sweden (206,211,210,201)
831 – Australia (213,209,205,204)
832 – Korea (214,210,203,205)
833 – United States (211,209,208,205)
835 – England (212,202,211,210)
837 – Denmark (207,210,214,206)
840 – Argentina (207,215,209,209)
848 – Japan (214,207,218,209)
852 – India (213,218,211,208)
853 – New Zealand (211,216,218,208)
858 – South Africa (214,211,219,214)
881 – Colombia (216,224,215,226)
892 – Mexico (223,221,222,226)
893 – Guatemala (223,226,219,225)
911 – Kenya (234,222,225,230)
Individual Competition: Maruyama Cup (par 71)
Final Scores
272 – Anders Kristiansen (NOR) (69,69,68,66), Bud Cauley (US) (68,67,67,70)
275 – Pontus Gad (SWE) (71,70,70,64)
276 – Bi-O Kim (KOR) (72,67,68,69), Elias Bertheussen (NOR) (71,68,65,72)
277 – Tomoya Tokunaga (JPN) (69,67,71,70), Brendan Smith (AUS) (69,73,70,65), Matthew Haines (ENG) (74,67,71,65)
278 – Jung-Hwan Lee (KOR) (71,72,68,67)
279 – Armando Zarlenga (ARG) (69,72,70,68), Gregory Main (US) (73,68,70,68)
280 – Dylan Frittelli (RSA) (70,70,71,69), Chikkarangappa Seenappa (IND) (69,72,69,70), Sebastian Cappelen (DEN) (68,69,73,70), Daniel Jennevret (SWE) (68,75,69,68), Pontus Widegren (SWE) (67,70,71,72), Daniel Nisbet (AUS) (70,70,66,74)
South African Scores (overall position in brackets)
298 – Leon-Brink Knoll (72,74,72,74) (44)
302 – JG Claasen (78,73,76,75) (53T)
DQ – Andre De Decker (72,68,DQ,71)