SA players continue to struggle down under

Although the weather conditions improved on yesterday, both Leon Knoll (83) and JG Claassen (79) struggled through the second round of the NEC Master of the Amateurs Championship played at the Yarra Yarra Golf Club, in Melbourne, Australia.

South Africa’s top ranked amateur, according to the latest South African Golf Association’s Player Rankings, nineteen year old Leon Knoll, played his second round ten shots worse than his first to record a 36 hole total of 156, twelve over par. This puts him well down the field in thirty third place.

JG Claassen, eighteen year old North West Province amateur, did a little better, but by his standards is bound to be disappointed with his seven over par second round. His 36 hole total is 155, eleven over par, finishing just one position better than his fellow country man.

The day belonged to Bud Cauley of the United States. The nineteen year old Florida native, who is ranked 6th on the latest World Amateur Golf Rankings, enjoying the cooler weather conditions, broke the course record with a round of 65, seven under par. He shot up the leaderboard, to just two shots off the pace, recording a 36 hole score of 141, three under par.

Kieran Pratt (72), from Melbourne, Australia, leads with a 36 hole total of 139, five under par.

In the international team competition, NEC Master of the Amateurs World Cup, in which two player from the same country compete, Australia managed to hold onto their lead finishing on 286, two under par. Their eight shot overnight lead was reduced to one shot by an excellent performance by the United States team (of Bud Cauley (65) and Morgan Hoffmann (73)) who recorded a six under par 138, the best team score for a round so far.

South Africa recorded a disappointing second round score of 162, eighteen over par, to drop down from third place over night to sixth place. There are ten countries competing in this competition.

The third round is currently under way with the final round being played tomorrow.

NEC Master of the Amateurs Championship

Venue: Yarra Yarra Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia

Par: 72 (36 holes: 144)

Second Round Leaders :

139 – Kieran Pratt (AUS) (67,72)

140 – Jin Jeong (KOR) (69,71), Jordan Sherratt (AUS) (66,74)

141 – Bud Cauley (USA) (76,65)

142 – Geoffrey Drakeford (AUS) (66,76), Victor Dubuisson (FRA) (72,70)

143 – Michael Williams (AUS) (71,72)

144 – Daniel Beckman (AUS) (73,71), Ryan McCarthy (AUS) (72,72)

South African players’ scores:

155 – JG Claassen (76,79)

156 – Leon Knoll (73,83)

NEC Master of the Amateurs World Cup

Par: 144 (36 holes: 288)

Second Round Leaders:

286 – Australia (140,146) (Matt Jager (74,72); Jordan Sherratt (66,74))

287 – United States (149,138) (Morgan Hoffmann (73,73); Bud Cauley (76,65))

291 – New Zealand (150,141) (Ryan Fox (75,71); Andrew Stewart (75,70))

293 – Europe (148,145) (Victor Dubuisson (FRA) (72,70), Alexander Kleszcz (POL) (76,75)

Other scores:

311 – South Africa (149,162) (JG Claassen (76,79); Leon Knoll (73,83))