TuksSport clinches SA High School Champs

Marco Steyn held his nerve under the extreme pressure to clinch the 2014 SA High School Championship title for TuksSport High School in a sudden-death play-off against Cameron Moralee from Rundle College at Bloemfontein Golf Club on Tuesday.

TuksSport High combined for an opening 225, but lagged four shots behind joint first round leaders, Rundle College and Hilton College.

While Hilton faded, the newcomers stayed in the race with a final round 225 after Allan Lones carded a 72, Moralee posted a 75 and Haydn Garcia produced a 77.

“We knew we had at least five shots to make up if we wanted a shot at the title,” said TuksGolf General Manager, Johan Steyn.

“Dylan Naidoo took it upon himself to step it up after his non-counting 85 in the first round. He played a champions round and his 72 significantly boosted the team. It took a lot of guts and we were incredibly proud of his determination.”

Steyn returned a 73 and rising star Sentanio Minnie posted a 76 for a 221 to tie Rundle on 446.

“The value of the extra man is often underestimated where the best two or three scores count, but we always tell our players that they cannot, at any point in a competition, decide that their score won’t count,” Steyn said. “We constantly remind them that each player has to take responsibility for his own score, no matter how bad it might be going.

“In this case, our non-counting scores proved pivotal in our victory.”

Under the rules of the competition, the two non-counting scores from the first and final round are added and the team with the lowest combined score is declared the winner.

Naidoo posted a non-counting 85 in the first round, and Albert Venter carded a final round 78, while Hayden Garcia carded an 80 in the first round for Rundle College and Caylum Boon signed for an 83 in the second round.

“However, when the scores were added, the teams were still tied,” said Steyn. “That really illustrates the value of the extra player.”

Both teams then had to nominate a player for the ensuing sudden-death play-off. Rundle nominated Moralee, who followed an opening 65 with a final round 75 and won the Individual Competition. TuksSport High nominated Steyn, who recently won the ProShop Northern Amateur Stroke Play and made the match play semi-final.

“We actually selected Marco well ahead of the final round, because he carried some great form into the championship,” Steyn explained. “It turned out to be the right decision for the team.”

Steyn and Moralee returned to the par-four 10th where the TuksSport High player split the fairway with a three-wood, while the Rundle player hooked his tee shot into the trees.

Moralee punched out into a greenside bunker, while Steyn mailed his approach from 80 feet to the centre of the green. Moralee finished with a bogey from the trap and Steyn had two putts for par and victory.

“I am very proud of the way the team fought in the final round,” Steyn said. “Marco didn’t hesitate under the pressure and executed his strategy to perfection.

“It is such a privilege for us to compete against the best high school teams in the country in an event of this stature and it really is an honour to win this title for a second time.

“This victory also bears witness to the hard work these boys put into their games, in addition to their normal school obligations.”

FINAL RESULT (*** Won in a play-off)

***446 – TuksSport High School 225 (Marco Steyn 72, Albert Venter 74, Sentanio Minnie 79), 221 (Dylan Naidoo 72, Marco Steyn 73, Sentanio Minnie 76)
446 – Rundle College 221 (Cameron Moralee 65, Caylum Boon 78, Allan Lones 78), 225 (Allan Lones 73, Cameron Moralee 75, Hayden Garcia 77)
449 – Grey College Bloem 223 (Attie van Wyk 71, Ruan Pretorius 76, Therion Nel 76), 226 (Therion Nel 73, Ruan Pretorius 76, Attie van Wyk 77)
451 – Paarl Boys High 222 (Hennie O’Kennedy 72, Eduard de Villiers 73, Herman Loubser 77), 229 (Herman Loubser 71, Eduard de Villiers 79), Hennie O’Kennedy 79
454 – Michael House 227 (Louis Albertse 72, Matt Saulez 74, Chad Fourie 81), 227 (Louis Albertse 75, Sean Rice 76, Matt Saulez 76)
455 – Curro Aurora 227 (Ivanna Samu 73, Julian Samu 75, Keelan van Wyk 79), 228 Ivanna Samu (72, Keelan van Wyk 78, Julian Samu 78)
455 – Reddam House Constantia 225 (Luke Woods 69, Henry Anderson 77, Noel Anderson 79), 230 (Steven Raath 72, Noel Anderson 76, Luke Woods 82)
457 – Glenwood House 224 (Alex van Wyk 72, James Pennington 74, Bradley de Beer 78), 233 (Johan Oosthuizen 74, James Pennington 77, Alex van Wyk 82)
459 – Pretoria Boys 227 (Shane McLachlan 74, Nicholaus Frade 76, Keegan McLachlan 77), 232 (TR Haantjes 71, Nicholaus Frade 77, Keegan McLachlan 84)
462 – Hilton College 221 (Keagan Thomas 70, Guy Waterhouse 73, Rourke Lauryssen 78), 241 (Guy Waterhouse 80, Rourke Lauryssen 80, Keagan Thomas 81)
465 – Paarl Gimnasium 229 (Hendrik van der Merwe 74, Duncan van der Vyver 76, Bianca Lohbauer 79), 236 (Duncan van der Vyver 76, Schalk Jnr Pieterse Jnr 80, Bianca Lohbauer 80)
467 – Fairmont High School 230 (Tristan Hamilton 73, Connor de Groote 76, Daniel Albutt 81), 237 (Tristan Hamilton 75, Connor de Groote 80, Daniel Albutt 82)
471 – Hoerskool Ben Viljoen 230 (Daniel van Wyk 76, Jan Jacobs Jnr 77, Nicklas van Wyk 77), 241 (Jan Hendrik Jacobs 78, Nicklas van Wyk 79, Vian Kruger 84)
474 – St Stithians Boys’ College 240 (Emilio Pera 79, Keanu Pestana 80, Alex Vos 81), 234 (Alex Vos 76, Emilio Pera 77, Keanu Pestana 81)
491 – DF Malherbe 248 (JG Smith 78, R Peters 80, Mieke de Ridder 90), 243 (JG Smith 79, R Peters 81, Stefan Smith 83)
492 – H/S Secunda 248 (Andre van Heerden 80, Lee Morrison 83, Henco Botha 85), 244 (Andre van Heerden 78, Ivan Mare 78, Lee Morrison 88)
492 – Hoer Volkskool 243 (Philip Niemand 74, Christiaan Burke 84, Johann Burke 85), 249 (Philip Niemand 80, Z Botha 83, Johann Burke 86)
498 – Hudson Park HS 251 (Demi Flanagan 82, Byron Toogood 82, Tristan Naude 87), 247 (Byron Toogood 81, Demi Flanagan 82, Courtney Wicks 84)
508 – Goudveld Hoerskool 254 (Leon van der Walt 77, Edward Norton 87, Jan van der Walt 90), 254 (Leon van der Walt 79, Jan van der Walt 87, Edward Norton 88)
513 – HTS Middleburg 258 (Junior Fourie 82, Stian van Aswegen 86, Zandré Storm 90), 255 (Stian van Aswegen 82, Junior Fourie 85, Zandré Storm 88)

FINAL TOP 10 INDIVIDUAL RESULT (Cumulative)
140 – Cameron Moralee 65 75
145 – Ivanna Samu 73 72; Marco Steyn 72 73
147 – Louis Albertse 72 75
148 – Herman Loubser 77 71; Tristan Hugh Hamilton 73 75; Attie van Wyk 71 77
149 – Therion Nel 76 73
150 – Matt Saulez 74 76
151 – Allan Lones 78 73; James Pennington 74 77; Hennie Jnr O’Kennedy 72 79; Keagan Thomas 70 81; Luke Woods 69 82

PHOTO: 2014 SA High School Championship winners, TuksSport High School
Front, from left to right: Marco Steyn, Albert Venter (captain)
Back, from left to right: Johan Steyn (General Manager TuksGolf), Dylan Naidoo, Sentanio Minnie, Bradley Nienaber (Coach TuksGolf)

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

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