Swiss bliss for Freiburghaus at Randpark
Swiss golfer Jeremy Freiburghaus edged out South Africa’s Albert Venter to win the 72-hole Stroke Play Qualifier for the 2017 Pro Shop Northern Amateur Championship at Randpark Golf Club on Tuesday.
Freiburghaus announced his intentions with an opening six-under-par 66 that featured a lone bogey on the front nine and five birdies down the back stretch.
The blistering start handed the Domat-Ems golfer a one shot edge over Venter, who tied for second with fellow Gauteng North golfer Philip Kruse, David McIntyre from Central Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal’s Matt Saulez.
However, a second round 69 from Freiburghaus saw the Swiss player surrender pole position to Venter.
An eagle at the par five second at the Firethorn Course helped the GolfRSA National Squad member to overhaul Freiburghaus and he racked up six birdies for a 66 to move to 11 under 133.
Venter carried a two shot lead into the third round and produced a 69 to keep ahead of Freiburghaus, who closed the gap to one shot with a 68.
Identical rounds from both players in the final round saw the pair tie for the lead at 17-under-par 271 at the end of regulation play.
The South African and the Swiss golfer replayed the 18th hole, but this time, Freiburghaus came up trumps when Venter parked his second shot in the back bunker and couldn’t up-and-down.
The leading duo didn’t provide the only fireworks on the final day, though.
Dylan Kok from Gauteng North started the third round 10 shots off the pace and slipped even further down the leaderboard after bogeys at the second and seventh holes. But the Woodhill golfer caught fire on the back nine. A birdie at the 10th sparked an eight birdie run and he parred the 18th to complete the loop in 28 strokes.
And Kok’s 66 wasn’t even the lowest score in the third round.
That honour belonged to former champion Marco Steyn from Central Gauteng, who fired a flawless eight-under-par 64. Fellow Central Gauteng golfer Eric Wowor posted an equally impressive seven under 65.
South Africa’s number one ranked Garrick Higgo would start his title defence on Wednesday on a positive note after securing a share of 12th at five under 283 with a final round 66.
Richard Joubert from Gauteng North, Eastern Province’s Lwazi Gqira and KwaZulu-Natal duo Siyanda Mwandla and Andre van Heerden edged out Christopher van der Merwe from Gauteng North in a play-off for the final four spots into the match play stage after the quintet tied at three over 291.
STROKE PLAY RESULTS (Top 30)
271 Jeremy Freiburghaus SUI 66 69 68 68 (first play-off hole)
271 Albert Venter 67 66 69 69
276 Matt Saulez 67 72 66 71
277 Eric Wowor 69 70 65 73
278 Theunie Bezuidenhout 71 71 69 67; Clayton Mansfield 70 71 68 69; Darin de Smidt 70 68 67 73
279 Philip Kruse 67 74 69 69
280 Dylan Kok 73 70 66 71
281 Marco Steyn 82 67 64 68; Malcolm Mitchell 72 72 69 68
283 Garrick Higgo 79 65 73 66; Aneurin Gounden 70 74 69 70; Jason Rossiter 70 71 72 70
285 Kyle McClatchie 78 70 68 69; Erhard Lambrechts 77 69 72 67; Robin Williams GBR 70 73 71 71
286 Neal Woernhard SUI 74 68 70 74; David Mcintyre 67 75 74 70
287 Dave Watson 74 72 72 69; David Nortje 71 72 73 71
288 Ruan Botha 77 72 72 67; Bryce Leach 76 69 70 73
289 Liam Labuschagne 76 73 69 71; Therion Nel 76 73 68 72; Keanu Pestana 76 72 70 71
290 Marco Massiceti 75 71 68 76; Steven le Roux 72 69 71 78
291 Richard Joubert 76 70 74 71; Lwazi Gqira 75 72 69 75; Christopher van der Merwe 73 74 72 72; Siyanda Mwandla 70 77 71; Andre van Heerden (Jnr) 68 76 73 74
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of Golf RSA, a SAGA and WGSA Not-For-Profit company.