Naidoo takes control at Nomads SA Boys U-19

Dylan Naidoo gave himself the ideal opportunity to notch a second Nomads SA Boys title at Polokwane Golf Club when he overtook overnight leaders Marco Steyn and Jovan Rebula to snatch pole position in the third round of the Under-19 Stroke Play Championship on Wednesday.

The Central Gauteng junior, who lifted the Nomads SA Boys U-17 Championship title at the same venue last year, produced a flawless seven-under-par 65 strokes to hit the front. The Central Gauteng junior leads at 12-under-par 204, but defending champion Tristen Strydom is hot on his heels.

The country’s top ranked amateur offset early bogeys at the first and sixth holes with nine birdies to match Naidoo’s score and finish just one stroke off the pace.

Meanwhile KwaZulu-Natal’s Anuerin Gounden fired a 69 to climb to joint third on five under with Steyn, who returned a 75.

Estiaan Conradie (69), Dawid Opperman (67), Jason Thalrose (71) and Deon Germishuys (72) are tied for fifth three under, while Rebula slipped to two under 214 after carding a 78.

The Southern Cape golfer shares ninth with Kyle McClatchie (70) and Kyle Barker (68)

THIRD ROUND SCORES (top 20)
204 Dylan Naidoo 73 66 65
205 Tristen Strydom 70 70 65
211 Anuerin Gounden 69 73 69; Marco Steyn 68 68 75
213 Estiaan Conradie 76 68 69; Dawid Opperman 73 73 67; Jason Thalrose 69 73 71; Deon Germishuys 67 74 72
214 Kyle Barker 74 72 68; Kyle McClatchie 74 70 70; Jovan Rebula 69 67 78
215 Burt Gildenhuys 73 71 71; Garrick Higgo 70 73 72; Cameron Nesmith 70 69 76
216 Sentanio Minnie 74 73 69
217 Keegan de Lange 75 71 71; Matt Saulez 74 70 73
218 Dylan Mostert 75 72 71; Karabo Mokoena 74 74 70; Rosswell Sinclair 74 71 73; Alan Lones 73 78 67; Slade Pickering 70 73 75

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the South African Golf Association.