Kruinsig claims Ernie Els lead at Humewood

3 August 2012 – Ian van Rhyn, Marno Lange and La-Velle Clark-Halket braved the sweeping rain at Humewood Golf Club to give Laerskool Kruinsig the first round honours in the eighth edition of Ernie Els SA Primary Schools Championship on Thursday.

Van Rhyn and Lange carded rounds of 79 and Clark-Halket posted 82 at the challenging links layout for an opening round of 240. Corne Janse signed for a non-counting 85.

The Kempton Park team will sleep on a three-shot lead, but given the format of this premier team event – endorsed by four-time Major champion Ernie Els – the leaders can’t get too comfortable.

In six of the previous seven editions, the final round has served up some unexpected surprises and, with four players per team and three scores to count, Laerskool Kruinsig will have to keep tabs on Curro Hazeldean Primary in second if they aim to finish in the winner’s circle on Friday.

Jordan Wessels led Curro Hazeldean Primary with a three-under 69, while Ruben Jansen van Rensburg and Liam Thompson added rounds of 87 for a first round tally of 243.

Glenwood House Prep and Midstream College, respectively third and fourth, are also still in the running.

Ryan Melville (80), Tiaan Hugo (82) and Migal Groenewald (89) combined for 251 to secure third for Glenwood House Prep, while Luan Coetzee (82), William Reyneke (85) and Benjamin van Wyk (86) from Midstream College took fourth on 253.

Wessels mixed birdies at three, 11, 14 and 17 with a bogey at 13 to finish claim top spot in the Individual Competition on three-under. The Curro Hazeldean Primary scholar leads by seven shots from Leon Bevan from Laerskool Buhrmannsdrif and he has a 10 shot advantage over Heinrich Haasbroek from Durbanville Primary and Laerskool Kruinsig pair Van Rhyn and Lange.

Team Result – Round 1
240 Laerskool Kruinsig
243 Curro Hazeldean Primary
251 Glenwood House Prep
253 Midstream College
257 Laerskool George-Suid
263 ST Dunstan’s Preparatory
264 Highbury Preparatory B
265 Highbury Preparatory A
268 Durbanville Primary
268 Wolmaranstad Primary
273 Laerskool Saamtrek
276 Dainfern College
278 Laerskool Buhrmannsdrif
279 Grey Junior
281 Curro Aurora
324 Laerskool Goedehoop
336 Hoer en Laerskool Balfour

Individual Result – Round 1 (Top 20)
69 Jordan Wessels
76 Leonard Bevan
79 Ian van Rhyn; Heinrich Haasbroek; Marno Lange
80 Ryan Melville
82 Tiaan Hugo; Juan Barnard; Luan Coetzee; Heinrich Janse van Vuuren; La-Velle Clark-Halket
84 Nathan Jacobs; Jason Pengelley
85 Corne Jansen; Shaahid Kooreyshi; Guy Harcourt; William Reyneke
86 Reece Brown; Benjamin van Wyk; Caleb Fyvie

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.