Province pair take top 3s at Albatross International
Western Province’s Altin van der Merwe and Cara Gorlei both claimed top three finishes for South Africa at the 5thAlbatross International Junior Golf Championship in India on Friday.
Gorlei from Milnerton began the final round in fifth place after earlier rounds of 79 and 77.
The 17-year-old Province golfer closed with a 78 to take third on 234 and finished 14 strokes behind Girls U-18 Division champion, Kanyalak Preedasutthijjt from India, who claimed a one stroke victory on 220 with rounds of 75-72-73.
Gorlei’s compatriot Bianca Theron from Boland tied for eighth on 247.
Meanwhile Van der Merwe from Bellville surged to second place with a 73 at the Jaypee Greens Golf Club and the 17-year-old sealed a runner-up finish in the Boys U-18 Division with successive 73.
Van der Merwe turned in 37 after birdies at the fourth and sixth holes. He birdied the first two holes on the back nine and the par-five 13th, but dropped shots at the 14th, 16th and 17th holes to complete the inward nine in 36 strokes.
The recent Durbanville Open champion finished on four-over-par 220, seven shots behind India’s Natchapol Srinoon, who completed a wire-to-wire victory with rounds of 73-72-68.
The final South African junior in the group, and the youngest at just 11 years old, faired equally well in his international debut.
Reigning Nomads SA Boys U-13 champion Tristan Galant carded round of 77 and 80 and began the final round of the Boys U-13 Division five shots off the pace from joint leaders Aadil Bedi and Harshjeet Singh Sethi.
The Belhar golfer closed with an 83 to take eighth spot on 239 in the 27-man field, with Bedi defeating Phasin Vichttchareonpaisarn by two shots for the title.