South Africa two shots off the pace
South Africa finds itself off the pace after the first round of the 72 hole stroke play African Amateur Golf Team Championships being played at Dreamland Golf Club, Cairo, Eygpt on Tuesday.
The best three scores in the team of four players counting, Yubin Jung (69), JG Claassen (71) and Jake Redman (74) produced the goods giving the team a first round team score of 214, two under par, two shots adrift of first round leaders Kenya.
Yubin Jung, who plays his golf out of Wanderers golf club in Central Gauteng, produced a pace setting three under par to lead the individual competition along with two players from Kenya, namely Borniface Simwa and Collins Omondi.
South African team manager and South African Golf Association President, Enver Hassen, reported telephonically after the round that his players were adapting to the conditions. He said he expected them to take up their accustomed position at the top of the leaderboard as the tournament progresses.
South Africa has won this competition every year in which they have participated.
“Jake Redman’s luggage never arrived, he played in my team outfit,” quipped Hassen. Apparently the Fancourt based player did get his golf shoes and clubs however the rest of his luggage has gone missing.
Western Province Amateur champion, Trevor Mahoney, started in memorable fashion, according to Hassen. He said the young Boland golfer went bogey, eagle, birdie, bogey, bogey, par and bogey over the first seven holes. He finished on 74, two over par.
“JG Claassen could have been up with the leaders had he not bogeyed the last two holes,” pointed out Hassen.
The second round is being played on Wednesday. The final round will be played on Friday.
Leaders in African Amateur Golf Team Championship
Dreamland Golf Club, Cairo. Par 72 (Team Competition par: 216)
212 – Kenya (Borniface Simwa (69), Collins Omondi Ochieng (69), Sullivan Muthugia (74))
214 – South Africa (Yubin Jung (69), JG Claassen (71), Jake Redman (74))
221 – Botswana (Stuart Smith (71), Phenyo Lekgoa (73), Diane Lucas (77))
222 – Nambia (Francois Hanekom (72), Schalk van der Merwe (74), Gordon Demester (76))
Leaders in the individual competition
69 – Borniface Simwa (KEN), Collins Omondi Ochieng (KEN), Yubin Jung (RSA)
71 – JG Claassen (RSA), Stuart Smith (BOT)
72 – Emmaneul Opio (UGA), Francois Hanekom (NAM), Scott Vincent (ZIM)
South African players’ scores:
74 – Jake Redman
74 – Trevor Mahoney