SA Amateurs look to impress selectors
Three of South Africa’s top ranked amateur golfers, Dylan Frittelli (1), Jacques Blaauw (7) and Cameron Johnston (5), will tee up in the prestigious 54 hole Barrett Amateur, an international invitational stroke play tournament, which commences tomorrow, at the Algonquin Golf Course in St Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada, knowing that a good result could improve their chances of being selected to play for South Africa at the World Amateur Teams Championships (WATC) (Eisenhower Trophy).
The top ranked player on the latest South African Golf Association (SAGA) Player Rankings is Dylan Frittelli. The 18 year old Irene Country Club player has played steadily throughout the year, his stand out performance being winning the SA Boys U18 championship. Not only will he be out to impress the South African selectors but also his new University coach. He enrols at the University of Texas, in September this year, on a golf scholarship.
Jacques Blaauw, the current SA Stroke Play and Glacier SA Amateur champion, ranked 7th, will want to show that his disappointing form, during his campaign in France and the United Kingdom in June and July, was merely a ‘bad patch’ and that the promising Bolander can win tournaments in other countries.
The oldest of the South Africans is 37 year old Cameron Johnston, from Milnerton Golf Club in Cape Town. The veteran, who is looking to turn professional in four months time, will be hoping to reproduce the winning form he showed in South Africa in March and April when he won the Cape Province Open as well as recording the leading 36 hole qualifying score in the Western Province Amateur. Johnston also won the SA Mid Amateur Championships as well. The likeable Western Province amateur is currently ranked 5th on the SAGA Player Rankings.
The South African’s will not have it all their own way. Bill Seagris, from Ontario, Canada, will be looking for his third successive win in this event. He won last year by one shot, recording a 54 hole total of 214, one over par. He was two shots clear of the best finishing South African, Johan du Buisson, who finished tied third.
David Stewart, from Saskatchawan, is another Canadian amateur player to watch, he won the Saskatchawan Amateur last weekend.
As regarding the selection of the team to represent South Africa at the World Amateur Teams Championship, which is being played from 16 to 19 October in Adelaide, Australia, Neale Kunhardt, President of the SAGA said, “A good showing in Canada will certainly be taken into account by the members of the selection panel.”
The South African team is scheduled to be announced on Sunday 17th August 2008 in Plettenberg Bay, after the last round of the Southern Cape Open.