Jarvis builds four-shot barrier at Leopard Creek

GOLF NEWS - Casey Jarvis continued to stamp his dominance on the African Amateur Stroke Play Championship after a brilliant third round of four-under-par 68 that saw him race clear of chasing pack with 18 holes to play at Leopard Creek Golf Club on Wednesday, 16 February.

The defending champion began the day on nine under par, two shots ahead of fellow GolfRSA National Squad member Yurav Premlall and Englishman Zach Chegwidden.

He quickly established himself as the man to catch with birdies at the second, fourth and sixth holes, and redeemed himself after a bogey on the 10th with an eagle on the par-five 13th. “Overall, I am playing well and scoring well, and minimising my mistakes. I still feel like I could be holing more putts, though,” Jarvis said.

“I missed a few makeable ones this week, but I’m not getting hung up on that. I am playing really well and shooting another low score out there today really helps to build confidence and keep the momentum going in the right way.”

The 18-year-old State Mines golfer was pleased to keep his title defence on track with his outstanding level of performance but is fully aware that even a four-shot lead of 13-under-par par cannot be taken for granted.

“I will have to go out there and play my best because there are a lot of class players in the pack chasing me. Someone could go low if they really get it going out there. I’ll keep my head down and just stick to the strategy that’s given me the lead so far.”

Realising he was about to be left behind, Premlall racked up a brace of birdies on five and managed to hold onto the leader’s coat tails with two more on the ninth and 11th holes. He picked up one more shot on the par-three 16th but three bogeys in the last five holes saw him finish the day on nine-under, four shots back.

“I played solid, especially on the front the nine, but I made a few costly mistakes on the home stretch,” said the 17-year-old Glendower junior and runner-up last year. "I will have to do better to try to keep a clean card if I want to gain some shots on Casey in the final round."

It might look like a two-horse race between Jarvis and Premlall for the title, but neither player fired the low round on the day.

That honour belonged to 17-year-old Aldrich Potgieter, who was ranked the No 6 Junior in Australia last December before the family relocated back to South Africa after a nine-year stint down under. The Louis Oosthuizen Junior Academy member fired a blistering seven-under-par 65 that featured no less than 11 birdies to rocket to third on seven-under.

Jonathan Broomhead signed for 67 to finish in fourth on five-under, with South Africa’s No 1-ranked Christiaan Maas and Robert Moran, who both carded rounds of 66, a further shot adrift.

Team South Africa triumphs in African Amateur

Casey Jarvis, Jordan Duminy and new caps Christiaan Maas and Christiaan Burke celebrated an emphatic victory on seven under par in the Team Competition, at the African Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Leopard Creek on Wednesday.

The Team Competition is played concurrently with the first three rounds of the stroke play tournament, with three scores to count in each round.

Defending champion Casey Jarvis continued to stamp his dominance on the African Amateur Stroke Play Championship and will take a four-shot lead into the final round at Leopard Creek Golf Club.

The GolfRSA Senior Proteas combined for rounds of 217, 214 and 210 to lift the trophy by 22 strokes.

“It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant,” said the team’s manager, South African Golf Association Acting Vice-President Deon Nel, who himself also donned the green and gold for the first time. “What this team accomplished was way beyond my wildest expectations.

“These are a bunch of immensely talented youngsters who treasured the Protea on their chests, and really played for each other and their country. We knew it’s a team effort and not every day is going to be a great day for everyone. It’s a chain with a couple of links; today this one is strong, tomorrow it’s another player. At the end of the day, the team came out on top. We are so proud of them.”

Zach Chegwidden, Sam Bairstow and Callan Barrow secured second for Team England on 15-over, while 2022 SA Amateur finalist Rory Franssen, Jack Broun, Stephen Roger and Connor Wilson, combined for a 664 total that netted Team Scotland third place.

Team Kenya’s Adel Balala, Njoroge Kibugu and Taimur Haider Malik finished in fourth.

South Africa’s young Junior Team – Dan Bennett, Pascal Gunther, Hannes Strooh and Joshua Koekemoer – making their debut in national colours, went through a steep learning curve at the home of the European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Championship. The quartet combined for a 679 total, finishing fifth overall.

Matthew Bramford, Tariro November, Michael Wallace and 2021 Nomads SA Boys U-17 champion Keegan Shutt teed it up for Zimbabwe, who finished on 722 in sixth place.

ROUND THREE LEADERBOARD (top 20)

203 Casey Jarvis 70 65 68

207 Yurav Premlall 67 70 70

209 Aldrich Potgieter 72 72 65

211 Jonathan Broomhead 73 71 67

212 Robert Moran IRL 74 72 66; Christiaan Maas 69 77 66

213 Zachary Chegwidden GBR 67 70 76

216 Sam Bairstow ENG 73 71 72

218 Liam Nolan IRL 74 74 70; Adel Balala KEN 72 71 75; Bob Geurts NED 70 71 77

219 Jack Broun SCO 71 72 76

220 Samuel Simpson 71 71 78

221 Pieter Rossouw 76 72 73; Matthew Mcclean IRL 75 76 70; Jordan Wessels 71 78 72

222 Daniel Bennett 73 74 75

223 Adam Breen 79 72 72; Dylan Kayne 78 77 68; Ethan Smith 74 74 75; Rory Franssen SCO 74 72 77; Morris Schiefner 72 78 73; Francois van der Walt 69 79 75

TEAM COMPETITION RESULT

641 Team South Africa 217 Christiaan Maas 69 Casey Jarvis 70 Christiaan Burke 78; 214 Casey Jarvis 65 Jordan Duminy 72 Christiaan Maas 77; 210 Christiaan Maas 66 Casey Jarvis 68 Christiaan Burke 76

663 Team England 219 Zachary Chegwidden 67 Sam Bairstow 73 Callan Barrow 79; 217 Zachary Chegwidden 70 Sam Bairstow 71 Callan Barrow 76; 227 Sam Bairstow 72 Zachary Chegwidden 76 Callan Barrow 79

674 Team Scotland 221 Jack Broun 71 Rory Franssen 74 Stephen Roger 76; 223 Jack Broun 72 Rory Franssen 72 Connor Wilson 79; 230 Jack Broun 76 Connor Wilson 77 Rory Franssen 77

676 Team Kenya 229 Adel Balala 72 Njoroge Kibugu 76 Taimur Haider Malik 81; 224 Adel Balala 71 Njoroge Kibugu 76 Taimur Haider Malik 77; 223 Taimur Haider Malik 74 Njoroge Kibugu 74 Adel Balala 75

679 Team South Africa Juniors 232 Daniel Bennett 73 Pascal Gunther 79 Hannes Strooh 80; 226 Daniel Bennett 74 Hannes Strooh 76 Joshua Koekemoer 76; 221 Pascal Gunther 70 Daniel Bennett 75 Hannes Strooh 76

Team South Africa celebrates an emphatic 22-stroke victory in the African Amateur Stroke Play Championship Team Competition at Leopard Creek; credit GolfRSA. (From left to right: Christaan Maas, Casey Jarvis, team manager Deon Nel, Christiaan Burke and Jordan Duminy). Photo's : GolfRS