SA girls ready for Jakarta World Junior test

Four of the country’s top juniors will fly the flag for South Africa against a host of foreign nations in this week’s Enjoy Jakarta World Junior Golf Championship in Indonesia.

The prestigious international showpiece annually attracts the cream of the world’s young golfing talent and this year’s seventh edition is no exception, with 138 juniors from 19 countries primed for success at Damai Indah Golf Club in North Jakarta from 4-7 June.

Cara Gorlei, ranked third in the Womens Golf of South Africa’s junior rankings, will be leading the home challenge at the Pantai Indah Japuk course alongside Bianca Lohbauer, Kaleigh Telfer and Nicole Hannah, respectively ranked seventh, 10th and 16th.

Women’s Golf South Africa president, Cynthia Rayner, is travelling with the players and explained that the girls will competing in two of the four divisions.

“The championship is divided into four age groups,” Rayner explained. “Cara, Bianca and Nicole will be competing in Group A for 15-17 year olds, while Kaleigh will be teeing it up in Group B for the 13-14 year olds. There is also a Group C for 11-12 and Group D, aged 10 years and less.

“The event not only gives our top juniors the chance to gain invaluable experience on an international competitive platform, but the scores from this championship also counts towards their World Amateur Golf Ranking.”

All four juniors have shown tremendous form this season.

Gorlei from Milnerton Golf Club tied for sixth in the individual rankings at the 72-Hole Teams Championship, held at Maccauvlei Golf Club last week and, in addition to four other top 10 finishes this season, finished second in the KeNako World Junior Championships in March.

Among the highlights of Lohbauer from Paarl Golf Club’s season are two second place finishes at the Gauteng North Junior Girls Open and Nomads SA Girls Rose Bowl Championship, while Hannah from Pretoria Country Club claimed top 20 results in all three her starts this season, including a tie for 16th in the Sanlam SA Womens Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

Telfer from Bryanston Country Club finished in the top five three times since January, including a fifth place at the Gauteng North Junior Girls Open and KeNako World Junior Championships, and fourth at the North West Womens Golf Championship.

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