Lamprecht hunting gold at Clovelly

6 October 2017 – It’s his first start back on home soil and Junior Presidents Cup debutant Christo Lamprecht was all business ahead of the Bridge Fund Managers Junior Series at Clovelly Country Club on Friday.

The Under-18 A-Division winners of all 18 events will fight it out at the end of the series next March for two spots in the field of the 2018 North and South Junior Championship at the prestigious Pinehurst Resort.

Lamprecht has flown the flag for South Africa at the Junior Golf World Cup in Japan, the Junior Players Championship and the first Junior Presidents Cup over the last four months.

Having missed out on the first five events in the nationwide series, the 16-year-old from the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy in Mossel Bay is keen to make up for lost time.

“I definitely want a shot at another trip to the United States,” said Lamprecht. “I had to skip the first four events in the Western Cape due to school obligations and playing abroad.

“There are nine events in the Western Cape, so nine chances to get into the Southern Regional Final to shoot for the spot. If it doesn’t happen for me here at Clovelly today, I still have four chances.

“It was the most amazing experience to compete against the best juniors in the United States and beating some of their top players. To have the chance to experience that again, is priceless, so I’m going all out today.”

The Southern Cape youngster could have his job cut out, though.

The bases are loaded with top contenders like South Africa’s top ranked junior Jayden Schaper and fellow Ekurhuleni rising star Casey Jarvis, Martin Vorster from Southern Cape coming off his recent success in the Italian Under-16 Championship and Wilco Nienaber from Free State – already an eight-time winner this season.

Schaper not only did the 16-year-old complete the Grand Slam of Nomads SA Boys titles this season, but already banked two titles on the Sunshine Tour Junior Series.

Nienaber, coming off two victories on the Global Golf Junior Tour, is also relishing a return trip to the United States.

“It’s really great to have the Bridge Fund Manager Junior Series here at Clovelly to prepare for the Lion of Africa Junior Open, but I’m here to win,” said the Bloemfontein junior. “If I can get the job done today, it takes the pressure off and I’ll have another five months to work on my game before we challenge for the spot in Southern Regional Final.

“I loved every minute of competing in the Junior Players Championship. Every opportunity to compete abroad is an opportunity to improve and I definitely want to give myself a chance to get to the North and South Junior.”

Reigning English Boys U-14 champion Jarvis punched well above his weight in the recent South African Inter-Provincial, where he routed seasoned amateurs Christ Wicks from Western Province and Southern Cape’s Heinrich Frylinck, who both played at number two.

The biggest threat, though, could come from local favourite Deon Germishuys, who has good reason to hunt a hat-trick of titles after victories at Royal Cape in July and Kingswood last week.

“There is something about the series that really sparks confidence for me,” said Germishuys.

“After Royal Cape, I won the Southern Cape Open. After Kingswood, Western Province finished second in the Heptangular, losing by one point to Southern Cape. I haven’t won on the Sunshine Tour Junior Series yet and, with the Lion of Africa Junior Open here at Clovelly in two days, you can see why I am gunning for the hat-trick.”

Visit https://juniorseries.bridgefm.co.za to learn more about the Bridge Fund Managers Junior Series.

ABOUT BRIDGE FUND MANAGERS:
Bridge Fund Managers is a specialist asset manager operating in the retail, institutional, private clients and stockbroking markets. At BRIDGE we harbour and nurture our clients’ hard-earned assets. Our unique Payers & Growers® investment methodology is designed and actively managed to assist investors in securing high and growing income streams and inflation-beating capital returns through their investment portfolios. For more information please visit http://www.bridgefm.co.za.

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA, a SAGA and WGSA Not-For-Profit company.