Premlall feels the heat at Nedbank Junior Challenge

Premlall leads Nedbank Junior Challenge

JOHANNESBURG, May 5 (ANA) – Yurav Premlall is aiming to become the first winner of the Nedbank Junior Challenge on Wednesday, but the 17-year-old will have to stave off fellow GolfRSA National Squad member Jordan Duminy, as well as a few other in-form contenders, in the final round.

Premlall slept on a two-shot cushion after opening with a 4-under-par round of 68 at the Gary Player Country Club. With a tough set-up on moving day, the Glendower teenager managed to hold on to the lead with an even-par 72 that included five birdies, but also two double bogeys and a bogey.

He will start the final round on 4-under, just one shot ahead of Duminy, who was one of only three players who could break par on day two.

“Today was quite up-and-down,” said South Africa’s No. 3-ranked junior. “I built some nice momentum with three birdies in the first five holes, then slipped up with a double on eight.”

“I managed to get one shot back on the ninth and birdied the 13th after a soft drop on 12. But then I doubled 15, as well. Both my doubles were errant tee shots. On eight, it was a 2-iron that I leaked right into the bush and I had to hit my second from the penalty area.

“On 15, I hit a duck-hook with a 3-wood that went into the bush on the left, so I had to return to the tee box. On the upside, I made a great save on the 1st, where I holed a 10-footer for par. On the 3rd, I drove the front of the green and two-putted for birdie and I also holed a very good 12-footer up the hill on 18 to save par.”

“The course was playing really tough today and the fact that I was able to hang on and make pars on the three difficult closing holes gives me some good momentum to take into the final round. This course is always a challenge and the final round will be no different.”

Duminy signed for one-under-par 71.

The GolfRSA No 2 also got it to 3-under through the first five holes, but he lost the advantage with double bogey on the par-four sixth and another dropped shot on the par-four eighth.

“On the sixth hole, I pushed my tee shot into the right bunker and I didn’t have good lie. It came out straight left and into the bush. I had to hack my way out, so I was actually happy with the six; it could easily have been a seven or eight,” said the 17-year-old Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy member.

A birdie start to the back nine helped to settle him down.

“I struggled in the middle of the round, but the birdie on 10 got me back in the red. I just kept grinding, but the putts didn’t want to drop. I found the set-up a little easier than in the first round, but the pins were tricky. You couldn’t really go for the flags.

“I am happy that I gained some ground on Yurav. I am driving the ball well, so hopefully I can make another strong start and get the putter to cooperate in the final round.”

Reigning SA Amateur champion Christiaan Maas went five deep with a trio of birdies around the turn and was tied for the lead at 4-under with two holes to play when disaster struck.

The country’s top-ranked junior found the drink on the challenging par-4 17th and walked off with an eight on his card. A bogey finish on the closing hole for a 1-over 73 will see him start the final round five off the pace.

Behn Heyns from Middelburg was the big mover on the day.

The 17-year-old Middelburg golfer arrived at Sun City with some good form, having converted three consecutive top-three finishes on the Mpumalanga Golf Union circuit with victory in the Highland Gate Open in April.

Behn began his tournament with six consecutive bogeys and signed for a first round 79, but he came out firing on day two to take the low round honours with a 4-under-par 68.

He shares fourth on 3-over with GolfRSA National Squad trio Daniel Bennett, Nash de Klerk and Christopher Bagnall. Recent Nomads SA Boys U-19 Amateur finalist Bennett carded 72, De Klerk returned a 76 and Bagnall posted 74.

TJ Sandys, son of celebrated Sunshine Tour professional Omar, leads the 20-strong South African Golf Development Board group.

The 16-year-old Klerksdorp junior improved 15 shots on his first round 89 and a well-executed 74 moved him into eighth place.

“My dad told me to keep it in the fairways, hit the greens and putt for par. He said that making par at the Gary Player is like 4-under at any other course,” said the 2021 Orkney Junior Open champion.

“I guess I had to learn that for myself. It was a much better round from me and hopefully I can do even better in the final round.”

John-William Blomerus was the final junior to shoot below par.

The Serengeti golfer carded 71 to join GolfRSA National Squad member Malan Potgieter (77) and 2021 Nomads SA U19 Amateur champion Hannes Strooh (75) in joint eighth on 6-over.

Second round scores

140 Yurav Premlall 68 72

141 Jordan Duminy 70 71

145 Christiaan Maas 72 73

147 Behn Heyns 79 68; Daniel Bennett 75 72; Christopher Bagnall 73 74; Nash de Klerk 70 77

148 TJ Sandys 73 75

150 John-William Blomerus 79 71; Hannes Strooh 75 75; Malan Potgieter 73 77

151 Jack Brugman 77 74; Ivan Verster 76 75; Joshua Koekemoer 76 75; Morris Schiefner 73 78

152 Jaden Deltel 80 72; Janko van der Merwe 78 74; Stefan Delport 76 76

153 Werner Potgieter 79 74; Matthew Lotz 77 76; Fabrizio de Abreu 77 76; Divan Mostert 76 77; Nico Booyens 76 77; Amilkar Bhana 76 77

154 Damian Osner 80 74; Christian Lewis 78 76

155 Herman du Plessis 82 73; Jordan Wessels 82 73; Jaime Clive Lewis 77 78; Nico Els 77 78; Stefan Jacobs 75 80

156 Marno Lange 80 76; Tristan Leonard 79 77; Jonathan Wilsenach 79 77; Dean Wilken 78 78; Josh De Aguiar 75 81

157 Reinhardt Uys 85 72; Rezario Adams 82 75; Dino Thobela 80 77; Devon Valentine 78 79; Hanro Kriel 75 82; Keagan Crosbie 75 82

158 Alric Rowaan Rooi 80 78

159 Jayden Hoskins 85 74; Caden Sanders 80 79

160 Sean Tsipa 81 79; Jacob Joseph 80 80; Michael Ferreira 76 84

161 Hayden Morgan-Evens 81 80; Julian Daws 80 81; Filip Sakota 79 82; Kyle Conradie 76 85

162 C.J van Wyk 82 80

163 Zinan Maimane 89 74; Tobias Jan de Flamingh 85 78; Matthew Dippenaar 83 80; Dylan Melville 81 82

164 Vuyisani Makhama 81 83; Timothy Daniels 81 83

165 Ethan Govender 85 80; JC Schutte 78 87; Mitch Phigeland 78 87

166 Thami Ngobeni 72 94

167 Luka Stanisavljevic 87 80

168 Hezron Frieslaar 90 78; Tiaan Hugo 86 82

169 Angelo Keffers 90 79; Eric Ncube 83 86

170 Bernhard Köster 87 83; Kushal Bugareth 82 88

172 Luc Gavagnin 90 82

175 Andrew Long 88 87; Kairav Maduray 85 90

177 Mihlali Tom 88 89

178 Ronan Nortje 92 86

181 Thobelani Magwaza 89 92

197 Matthew Dennis 99 98

DQ Johndre Ludick 81 DQ

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman