SA juniors Sinclair and Boshoff impress in USA

Ross Sinclair from Gauteng North claimed a two stroke victory in his second start on the American Junior Golf Association’s Junior Tour this June, while compatriot Paul Boshoff took a top three finish in his second event in the USA on Sunday.

Sinclair opened with a 71 in the Under Armour® / Jeff Overton Championship, but slipped to a tie for 27th after a 77 in the second round.

The 17-year-old Centurion golfer lagged eight strokes off the pace at Otter Creek Golf Club in Columbus, Ohio, but he overhauled the leaders with a flawless nine-under-par 63 to triumph on five under 211.

Moreover, Sinclair’s blistering final round that featured seven birdies and an eagle-three also bettered the previous course record – set by host Overton during the State Amateur Championship in 2003 – by one stroke.

The reigning Nomads SA Boys U-19 Match Play champion is ranked third on the South African Golf Association’s Junior Rankings. He finished second in the Sanlam SA Amateur Stroke Play qualifier on the Open Amateur circuit in April and has impressed with three top 10 finishes in just four starts on the IGT Tour this season.

The GFG Academy player was hoping to do well in the USA, but never expected to break into the winner’s circle so soon.

“I just wanted to try a different approach in the final round to try and improve my overall score,” Sinclair said.

“I stayed away from my driver and I focussed on accuracy, instead of distance. I was a bit nervous going into 18, but I came away with a two-putt par and that pleased me.

“I only heard about the course record after I finished the round. I was totally speechless. This is only my second AJGA event and it’s really exciting to come out on top, because I knew I had it in me.”

Meanwhile Boshoff from Ekurhuleni rallied under trying circumstances to impress in the Dogwood Invitational in Atlanta

His luggage went AWOL on the flight from Pittsburgh, where he started his US campaign in the 62nd annual Sunnehanna Amateur Championship. Thanks to the generosity of his host family and the pro-shop, who provided the 18-year-old with golf shoes, the Serengeti golfer managed to tee it up at Druid Hills Golf Club.

Boshoff broke into the top 10 with successive rounds of 69 and notched seven birdies for a blemish-free final round 65 and a share of third on 13-under-par 203. He finished three strokes behind American winner Dawson Armstrong.

Sinclair will line up in the Under Armour® / Jordan Spieth Championship at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas this week, while Boshoff hopes to carry his current form to a solid performance in the US Junior Amateur Championship at Colleton River Plantation in Bluffton, South Carolina from 20-25 July.

The championship will be played at the links-style Dye Course, which offers unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean and Port Royal Sound. The course par-72 links-style layout measures 7,366 yards, making it the second longest course in US Junior Amateur history.

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

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