Solid show from SA juniors in China
Southern Cape’s Martin Vorster scored a runner-up finish in the Boys 10-13 age group at the Minsheng Beijing Junior Open, while Herman Loubser from Boland claimed a top 10 finish in the Boys 14-17 age group at the Tian’ An Golf Club in Beijing, China on Friday.
Vorster shared the overnight lead with Woo Young Cho from South Korea after rounds of 70 and 69.
The Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy member trailed by one going down the final hole, but he dropped two shots at the par four and finished with a 73.
Young won the tournament on 201 and the 12-year-old Mossel Bay junior finished two strokes back on four-under-par 212.
Fellow Southern Cape golfer Christo Lamprecht carded rounds of 75, 76 and 75 to tie for seventh at 10-over-par 154.
The Boys 14-17 division came down to a play-off between two local juniors tied on seven under 209.
Loubser carded earlier rounds of 74 and 73 and began the final round eight off the pace. The reigning Nomads SA Boys U-15 champion carded a 77 to tie for eighth on six-over-par 222.
JP Cooper from Gauteng North was tied 11th on eight over after rounds of 79 and 76. The Wingate Park golfer closed with a 75 and claimed a share of 12th on 11 over 227.
The South African quartet competed against an international field from the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia and Malaysia, as well as top local juniors from the Beijing University Golf School, Beijing Shichahai Sport School and Beijing Youth Golf Association, who had play to play two qualifying rounds to make the field.
South African Golf Association Integration Manager, Eden Thompson, who accompanied the players to Beijing, said the experience was invaluable for the juniors.
“It was a real privileged for our young players to be given this opportunity to test themselves against international players in a high calibre event of this nature,” Thompson said.
“They flew the South African flag with pride and were exceptional ambassadors for South Africa, the South African Golf Association and their home unions.”
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the South African Golf Association.