Tuks assert their dominance at USSA Championship

The University of Pretoria doubled up their title defence at the annual USSA (University Sport South Africa) Championships with a one-two finish in the Teams Stroke Play Qualifier at Koro Creek Golf Estate on Tuesday.

The B-team extended their four stroke overnight lead with a second round 215 to claim victory on 432.

The winners finished six stroke clear of the Tuks A team, who combined for a 217, and eight shots ahead of Stellenbosch University, who returned a 218.

North West University carded a 220 to finish in fourth on 442, two shots ahead of the University of Johannesburg A-team, while The Golf School of Excellence Johannesburg slipped into sixth on 448 with a final round 227.

Centurion Academy A finished seventh on 460 and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A clinched the final spot in the A-Flight Division.

Ryan Lane and Ryan Wille both dipped two shots under par and their rounds of 70 give Tuks B a huge boost and -par 70 and David Nortje added a three over 75 to keep the side at the top of the team standings.

Reinardt Blaauw fired a four under 68 to boost the Tuks A side and he was well supported by Andrew van der Knaap, who returned a 74, while Marco Loubser and Stephen Morrison both returned 75s.

“I am incredibly proud of the efforts by both teams to secure a first and second place finish, especially Reinardt, who is a rookie and really stepped it up today,” said TuksGolf Club & Academies head coach, Llewellyn van Leeuwen.

“I cannot believe how much Reinardt has improved in the last 18 months. But the hard work starts now in the Match Play division, but we are quietly confident that the boys will pull our title defence.”

Blaauw’s six birdie effort also landed him in the number one spot in the Individual Stroke Play leaderboard.

“The difference between the first and second round was just the putter,” said the 22-year-old Centurion golfer. “I hit 16 greens in the first round, but I had 35 putts. Today the short stick behaved and I happy to roll in some putts to help the team.

“I’m hitting the ball well, so I just hope I can keep the putter hot in the match play.”

A 72 from Petrus Loubser and a pair of 73s from Steven Janicki and Zack van der Schyff lifted Stellenbosch into third.

The Match Play division will be contested over the next two days. Teams will play two Foursomes matches in the morning and four Singles matches in the afternoon.

Team Stroke Play Qualifier – Final Result
432 University of Pretoria B 217 215
438 University of Pretoria A 221 217
440 Stellenbosch University A 222 218
442 North West University A 222 220
444 University of Johannesburg A 223 221
448 The Golf School of Excellence Johannesburg 221 227
450 Centurion Academy A 233 217
462 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A 229 233; The Golf School of Excellence Pretoria 228 234
464 Varsity College A 233 231; Cape Peninsula University of Technology A 231 233
468 Central University of Technology A 237 231; Centurion Academy B 233 235
471 Stellenbosch University B 233 238
474 North West University B 233 241
478 University of Cape Town A 238 240
482 Rhodes University A 240 242
484 Varsity College B 241 243
488 Central University of Technology B 243 245
495 The Golf School of Excellence Invitational 250 245
496 University of Johannesburg B 244 252
500 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University B 248 252
502 Cape Peninsula University of Technology B 252 250
508 Varsity College C 256 252
513 University of Cape Town A 250 263
520 Rhodes University B 255 265
536 North West University Vaal 273 263

Final Individual Result – top 20
141 Reinhardt Blaauw 73 68
143 Ryan Lane 73 70
144 Wynand Potgieter 70 74; Zack van der Schyff 71 73
145 Andrew van der Knaap 71 74; Christoff Els 75 70
146 Ludovic Bax MUS 72 74
147 David Nortje 72 75; Steven Janicki 74 73; Francois Kruger 75 72
148 Hando Brophy 71 77; Michael Dixon 71 77; Vico Kuhn 73 75; Ryan Wille 78 70
149 Jonathan Kaplan 73 76; Petrus Loubser 77 72
150 Steven Owen 74 76
151 Dwayne Basson 75 76; Peetie van der Merwe 77 74; Jonathan Dixon 79 72

PHOTO:
Back Left to right: Stephen Morrison, David Nortje, Marco Loubser, Ryan Wille, Andrew van der Knaap, Zabastian de Jager, Reinhardt Blaauw, Ryan Lane.
Front left to right: Tuks B manager Bradley Nienaber and Tuks A manager Llewellyn van Leeuwen)

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