Watson lines up SA Senior Champs title
19 October 2017 – Graeme Watson from Ekurhuleni took a huge step towards a maiden senior title when he opened up a three shot lead in the South African Senior Amateur Championship on Thursday.
Watson already owns one flagship title, having won the SA Mid-Amateur Championship in 2014.
The 50-year-old opened with an even-par 72 and started the second round one shot behind Andre van Dyk from Boland at Hermanus Golf Club.
After a birdie start at 10, the Ebotse golfer moved to two under with a birdie at 11, but gave back a shot at 12. He regained the lead with a pair of birdies at 16 and 17 and catapulted to the top the pile after firing nine straight pars on his back nine for a three-under-par 69.
Ferdi van der Merwe from Boland carded successive rounds of 72 to move into second on 144.
Colin Mavuso from Border, Gauteng’s Richard Bruyns and Jock Wellington and Ramon Rahme from Ekurhuleni are a further two strokes back. Mavuso from Royal Port Alfred carded 71, Bruyns from The River Club and Glendower’s Rahme both shot 72 and three-time former champion Wellington from Kyalami registered a second round 73.
Van Dyk from Langebaan kept his title hopes alive with three birdies and a bogey over the first nine holes and shared the lead with Watson starting the back nine.
After four straight pars from the first, an expensive triple bogey at the par four fifth proved costly. The reigning Players champion dropped three further shots over last four holes to sign for a 76 that saw him slip to tie for ninth at three over.
Second Round Scores (top 30)
141 Graeme Watson 72 69
144 Ferdi van der Merwe 72 72
146 Colin Mavuso 75 71; Richard Bruyns 74 72; Ramon Rahme 74 72; Jock Wellington 73 73
147 Morgan Phillips 75 72; Stephen Johnston 74 73; Andre van Dyk 71 76
148 Francois le Roux 74 74
149 Pieter Cooper 74 75
150 Craig Poulton 77 73; Rurik Gobel 75 75
151 William Skinner 76 75; Stanley de Beer 75 76; Jannie van Breda 75 76; Attie Burger 74 77; Conrad Rauch 72 79
152 Adrian Kriel 79 73; Archie Steyn 77 75; Ivan Palframan 75 77; Derik Piek 75 77
153 Phillip Bierman 74 79
154 Steve Smit 80 74; Basil Naidoo 79 75; Fanus van Niekerk 79 75; Japie Koopman 76 78; Giles Buchanan 74 80
155 Christo Reyneke 83 72; Mzuyanda Zingela 81 74; Schalk Naude 80 75; Brian Mampies 80 75; Manie Daniels 79 76; Etienne Groenewald 79 76; Tony Bailey 72 83
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA, a SAGA and WGSA Not-For-Profit company.