Fancourt: De Klerk joins Schaper in front

GOLF NEWS - Jayden Schaper extended his overnight lead in the Dimension Data Junior Open, while fellow Ekurhuleni junior Nash de Klerk took over the driver’s seat in the Under-15 Challenge of the first Sunshine Tour Junior Series event at Fancourt.

Dimension Data Junior Open
Schaper will start his pursuit of a second Sunshine Tour Junior Series title with a four shot lead.

The country’s top ranked junior shot a superb six-under-par 67 in the opening round at the Links to lead by two shots from Western Province’s Ayden Senger. Moving across to the Outeniqua Course for the second round, he fired a five-under-par 67 to double his advantage over Senger.

The 17-year-old Ebotse golfer burst from the blocks with a birdie-eagle start and collected another birdie at the fifth to move to 10 under par.

The damage of a double bogey at the par-four 10th – the only blemish on his card – was short-lived as he immediately birdied 11 and 13 to get back on track. A final gain at the par-five 17th saw the reigning Nomads SA Boys Under-19 champion finish 11-under-par 134.

Senger protected his number two spot with a three under 69.

Werner Deyzel from Gauteng North fired a flawless nine-under-par 63 that propelled him to third at six under 134. Deyzel’s low round of the day featured a trio of three bogeys at the first three holes, a pair of gains at five and six, an eagle at the par-five eighth and further birdies at 10 and 17.

Chris Woollam from KwaZulu-Natal, who won the stroke play qualifier at the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship earlier this season, posted 68 to take fourth at 141, while five players share fifth at 143.

Dimension Data Junior Open Under-15 Challenge
Nash de Klerk trailed Matthew Dennis by two shots after a first round 70 at the par-72 Montagu Course, but the Glendower junior overhauled Dennis at the Links and pushed to the top of the pile with an even-par 73 at the Links.

The 13-year-old got off the mark with back-to-back birdies and took the lead after Dennis dropped at the second hole. De Klerk sandwiched a birdie between bogeys at four and six, but birdied the ninth to turn two under.

He wiped out gains at 11 and 14 with a pair of bogeys at 12 and 13, and a costly double bogey at the 17th hole could have cost him the lead, but Jordan Duminy was the only player that came remotely close to the 36-hole target he set at two-under 143.

Duminy from Southern Cape offset a pair of bogeys on the front nine with birdies at 11 and 14 for a 73 that will see him start the final round at the Outeniqua course two shots off the pace.

Rorisang Nkosi from North West move to third on 147 with a 76, while Dennis signed off with an expensive 81 to slip to fourth on 149. Reigning Gowrie SA U-15 Challenge champion Amilkar Bhana from Central Gauteng rounded out the top five at 150 after registering a 76.