Ryan best SA Player in first round of French Amateur

Tyrone Ryan was the only South African to break par in the first round of the French Mens International Amateur Match Play Championship which was played Thursday at Saint Germain Golf Club just outside the French capital city.

The Central Guateng golfer recorded a one under par 71, which put him tied fourteenth, four shots off the pace set by Clement Berardo of France, 67, five under par.

A field of 123 players are playing a 36 hole Qualifying competition in which the top 32 players, on conclusion, qualify to contest the match play stages starting on Saturday.

“It looks like a 36 hole score of around par or one under is what will be required tomorrow to make the match play, assuming the excellent weather conditions prevail,” said Colin Burger, South African Golf Association Vice President and Team Manager.

Speaking from the team hotel, Burger said that the South Africans players struggled for a number of reasons. He pointed out that the course is new to all the players, “in fact Ryan Dreyer played it for the first time today.” Burger also said that there were no caddies available, although he said that Assistant Team Manager, Neil Homann, who is also the SAGA Assistant Executive Director, did carry Ryan Dreyer’s bag as he is struggling with a bad dose of bronchitis.

Danie van Tonder was the next best performing South African, with a level par round of 72. He was followed by Aaron Russell (73), John Bekker (74), JG Claassen (75), Ryan Dreyer and Dean O’Riley who both had 76s and finally Jared Harvey who struggled to an 81, nine over par.

Running concurrently is the Nations Cup. Seven teams, from five countries, where two countries have entered two teams, are competing. Each team is made up of three players, the best two scores count. Leading after today’s first round is the home side, with a score of 136, eight under par. The team from England follow on 139, five under par. South Africa 2 is on 143 and South Africa 1 on 151.

On Friday the final round of the Qualifying Competition will be played as well as being the deciding round in the Nations Cup.

36 hole Qualifying Competition

Leaders after the first round

St Germain G.C. (Par 72)

(All players are French unless stated otherwise)

67 – Clement Berardo

68 – Julien Brun, Gary Stal, Kevin Turlan, Leo Lespinasse

69 – Joshua White (ENG), Francois-Romain Rouilleaux, Pierre Tillement, Thomas Linard

70 – Jonathan Bell (ENG), Lionel Weber, Julie Gressier, Emmanuel Mercadier

71 – Adrien Monnier, Alexandre Widemann, Andrew Wallace (SCO), Frederic Abadie, Jules Bordonado, Tyrone Ryan (RSA), Pierre-Henri Leclerc, David Booth (SCO), Edouard Espana, Antonie Schwartz, Arnaud Abbas, Charlie Perrot

South African players’ scores:

72 – Danie van Tonder

73 – Aaron Russell

74 – Johan Bekker

75 – JG Claassen

76 – Ryan Dreyer, Dean O’Riley

81 – Jared Harvey

Nations Cup

(Best two scores count in teams of three players)

136 – France 1 (Sebastien Gros (73), Gary Stal (68), Leo Lespinasse 68))

139 – England (Jonathan Bell (70), Joshua White (69), Craig Hinton (73))

142 – Scotland (Bobby Rushford (76), David Booth (71), Andrew Wallace (71))

143 – South Africa 2 (Tyrone Ryan (71), Danie van Tonder (72), Aaron Russell (73))

144 – France 2 (Kenny Subregis (75), Pierre Tillement (69), Stanislas Gautier (75))

151 – South Africa 1 (JG Claassen (75), Dean O’Riley (76), Ryan Dreyer (76))

156 – Finland (Teemy Putkonen (81), Ossi Mikkola (85), Henri Pyykola (75))