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CAPE TOWN, 25 March 2019 - GolfRSA has announced a group of 19 of the country’s most promising amateur male players in the 2019/20 National Squad, including four new caps – Gauteng pair Amilkar Bhana and Kian Rose, Christiaan Burke from North West and Sam Simpson from Western Province.

GolfRSA Squad 4 new caps

PHOTOS – New Caps (credit GolfRSA)

Amilkar Bhana (Country Club Johannesburg, Gauteng)

Kian Rose (Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, Central Gauteng)

Christiaan Burke (Potchefstroom Country Club, North West)

Sam Simpson (Bellville Golf Club, Western Province)

The National Squad, now in its fourth year, has had tremendous success since its inception in 2016.

Set up from a R10-million donation by businessman and GolfRSA chairman of the board Johann Rupert, the squad provides funding, support, advice, training camps and playing opportunities for the best of South Africa’s young golfing talent.

The ultimate aim is to produce stronger national teams and provide individuals with the best preparation for life as golf professionals.

In 2018, GolfRSA National Squad players achieved an unprecedented five international wins, highlighted by Jovan Rebula’s triumph in The Amateur Championship.

Other victories included Martin Vorster in the Junior Open Championship, Wilco Nienaber in the Amateur Championship Qualifier, Deon Germishuys in the Grandover Junior Amateur in the USA and Christo Lamprecht, who became the youngest winner and first foreign champion in the East of Ireland Amateur Championship.

“South Africa is blessed to have wonderful structures in place, from the clubs to the unions and our teaching professionals, that we consistently produce outstanding amateur golfers,” explained GolfRSA CEO Grant Hepburn.

“Thanks to the generosity of Mr Rupert, we are able to enhance the players’ amateur experiences and opportunities and help our future rising stars perform at the highest level in amateur golf and beyond.

“A similar model exists in women’s golf, with Women’s Golf South Africa running three squads: the GolfRSA Elite Squad comprising the country’s top players; a B-Squad that includes players who have progressed through the Talent Identification Squad camps and a TID Squad, which consists of young players who showed good potential in the previous season.

“A good example of this is our National Squad’s annual tour to the United Kingdom, where players are introduced to very different playing conditions and come up against the best amateur golfers in the world.

“It is clear from our results in these international tournaments that South African players are right up there with the very best amateur golfers in the world. By taking part in these events, as well as representing South Africa in other tournaments around the world, we believe that they will develop into better and more complete golfers.”

An important aspect of these National Squads is the development of a team culture amongst the players.

Squad members travel as a team, develop strong bonds and support each other while on tour and at national tournaments. They also receive and follow specialist mental, physical and dietary training from leading industry experts.

While the likes of Rebula, Cole Stevens, Luca Filippi, Matt Saulez and Wilco Nienaber have been part of the squad since its inception, juniors Amilkar Bhana, Christiaan Burke, Kian Rose and Sam Simpson will be joining the squad for the first time.

“The average age of the squad is very young,” explained Hepburn.

“Through the excellent groundwork put in by the provincial unions and the clubs, we are able to identify players early and get them into the squad system as soon as we can. The younger players learn about squad culture from the example set by the older players – and in time they too will become role models for the future generations of players.

“We are also acutely aware of the importance of development in our squad and we are pleased that no fewer than eight players of colour, who have earned their places on merit, are included in the setup.”

Since 2016, a total of 51 players have been part of the GolfRSA National Squad, with 18 having gone on to ply their trade as professional golfers.

GolfRSA National Squad 2019/2020

Amilkar Bhana (Central Gauteng)
Carl Mwale (Central Gauteng)
Casey Jarvis (Ekurhuleni)
Christiaan Burke (North West)
Christo Lamprecht (Southern Cape)
Cole Stevens (Central Gauteng)
Jayden Schaper (Ekurhuleni)
Jordan Duminy (Southern Cape)
Jovan Rebula (Southern Cape)
Kian Rose (Central Gauteng)
Kieron van Wyk (Central Gauteng)
Luca Filippi (Western Province)
Matt Saulez (KwaZulu-Natal)
Martin Vorster (Southern Cape)
Nash de Klerk (Ekurhuleni)
Sam Simpson (Western Province)
Therion Nel (Free State)
Wilco Nienaber (Free State)
Yurav Premlall (Ekurhuleni)

 

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.

PHAKALANE, Botswana (16 March 2019) – The GolfRSA Boys and Girls secured their berths in the field for the 2019 Toyota Junior World Cup in Japan with resounding victories in the Boys and Girls Competitions of the All-Africa Junior Golf Challenge in Botswana on Friday.

2019AAJGC TeamSA

The GolfRSA Boys and Girls Teams celebrated double victories in the 2019 All-Africa Junior Golf Challenge at the Phakalane Golf Estate Hotel Resort in Botswana; credit GolfRSA.

Left to right: Caitlyn Macnab (Ekurhuleni), Kiera Floyd (Ekurhuleni), Kaiyuree Moodley (Gauteng), Sam Simpson (Western Province), Christo Lamprecht (Southern Cape), Casey Jarvis (Ekurhuleni) and Martin Vorster (Southern Cape)

The GolfRSA Girls successfully defended their title for a third successive year, while the GolfRSA Boys claimed a 21st consecutive victory for South Africa in the prestigious junior championship, hosted by the Phakalane Golf Estate Hotel Resort near Gaborone.

Ekurhuleni pair Caitlyn Macnab and Kiera Floyd and Kaiyuree Moodley from Gauteng combined for a winning score of 551. Zimbabwe edged out Nigeria with a final round 171 to finish second.

Western Province’s Sam Simpson, Casey Jarvis from Ekurhuleni and Southern Cape juniors Martin Vorster and Christo Lamprecht kept South Africa’s proud winning record on track with a total score of 806, while Uganda made up six shots in the final round to take second. The runner-up finish guaranteed a spot in field with South Africa in the world-class international team event at the Chukyo Golf Club in Toyota City.

South Africa also enjoyed a strong showing in the Individual Competitions.

Macnab won the Girls Competition on a total score of 20-under-par 272, with rounds of 66, 71, 67 and 68. Moodley was second on 284 and Floyd third on 290.

New GolfRSA National Squad cap Simpson won the Boys Competition by nine strokes on a winning score of 23-under-par 265 with rounds of 64, 69, 63 and 69. Runner-up Lamprecht finished on 274, Jarvis was third on 275 and Vorster’s final round 68 saw him finish fourth on 276.

“It was incredibly hot on the final day and the breeze at the start of the round died pretty quickly,” said Womens Golf South Africa president Sally Greasley.

“We raised the bar for the final round and all three girls played so well in blistering heat. They stayed incredibly positive and determined. This has been a fantastic tournament for South Africa. The girls have showed great humility playing with girls from Zimbabwe and Nigeria who don't have a quarter of the opportunities they do.

“Caitlyn signed off with a 68, Kaiyuree posted a 69 and Kiera carded a non-counting 71. I am so proud of the players. Despite not having strong competition, they never took their feet off the pedal and we so excited to have qualified for Japan again. They are ready for the challenge.”

The final round of the Boys Competition was very challenging, said GolfRSA Manager: Golf Operations Eden Thompson.

“The Organizing Committee set the course as difficult as they could with every tee placed as far back as it could be played,” he said. “It was a pretty tough day all round, and Sam and Martin definitely stood out with the way they managed their games.

“Martin led the team out and once again his ball striking was exemplary. Despite missing three putts inside five feet, his four-under 68 was the low round of the day. It was a well-constructed round of golf.

“Casey followed next. After a tough break at the first, he holed a really good eight-foot putt for bogey but unlike yesterday, he wasn’t able to keep his composure and got distracted. He closed with 73.

“Christo went out third for the team and there was some concern when he pulled up on the range with what came across as a muscular spasm in his lower back and hip. After a rub and stretch, he went out to play but was never happy. He let a few shots slip on the back nine to sign for 74.

“Sam was out last and once again played solid golf with nine straight pars. After a par at 10, he made his first birdie on 11 to finally get under par. He played solid percentage golf, notched a second birdie at 15 and he closed out an emphatic individual title win with a birdie on the 18th hole for 69, marking four consecutive sub 70 rounds.

“The dynamic of the team was great and the players backed each other up really well in this tournament format. We are excited to take these four young stars to Japan and we believe that they have the ability to do really well in the Toyota Junior World Cup.

“Our sincerest thanks to the Botswana Golf Union on behalf of both South African teams for their hospitality and for hosting another successful All-Africa Junior Golf Challenge. Congratulations to the SA Girls team on their achievement and we would like to thank GolfRSA National Squad psychologist Theo Bezuidenhout, who was an invaluable member of the team.”

Second Round Scores – Boys Competition

806 South Africa 200 200 196 210
899 Uganda 222 227 223 227
903 Morocco 229 218 219 237
909 Zambia 231 218 225 235
928 Zimbabwe 236 232 225 235
961 Nigeria 240 243 231 247
973 Namibia 244 244 234 251
980 Egypt 248 243 236 253
994 Eswatini 255 247 237 255
1027 Gabon 259 252 250 266
1029 Tanzania 259 245 248 277
1031 Mauritius 254 257 251 251
1062 Botswana 260 268 262 272

Final Result – Girls Competition

551 South Africa 139 138 137 137
679 Zimbabwe 173 170 165 171
743 Nigeria 187 185 183 188

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.

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