PRETORIA, 6 October 2014 – Central Gauteng youngster Emerson Bam navigated the challenging layout at Wingate Park Country Club in 73 strokes to take a one shot lead in the first round of the prestigious Nomads SA Boys U-13 Championship on Monday.
On a tough scoring day, the Dainfern College student dropped two shots on the front nine, but rallied with two birdies to turn in even-par. He completed the back nine with the same combination sign come home in even par and clinch the low round honours of the opening day.
Luke Pienaar from Western Province and Southern Cape’s Jordon Duminy lag one shot off the pace in the prestigious junior championship, while Barend Botha, Kieron van Wyk, James Murray and Liam Van Deventer tied for fourth on 76.
Kieron van Wyk (76), Kian Rose (77), Nkosenye Carl Mwale (79) and Brandon Weir Jnr (80) contributed the rest of the counting scores that lifted Central Gauteng into pole position in the Team Competition.
Their combined 20-over-par 385 will see them start seven strokes clear of Ekurhuleni, whose six-man junior side combined for an opening 392.
FIRST ROUND INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD (top 20)
73 – Emerson Bam
74 – Luke Pienaar; Jordon Duminy
76 – Barend Botha; Kieron van Wyk; James Murray; Liam Van Deventer
77 – Zander Lombard; Murad Hoosen; Grant Ferreira; Kian Rose
78 – Casey Jarvis
79 – Dean Lones; Daniel van Seumeren; Gheran Hattingh; Yurav Premlall; Nkosenye Carl Mwale
80 – Du Toit Fourie; Neil Retief; Brandon Weir Jnr; Regan Steyn
FIRST ROUND TEAM RESULT (top five)
385 Central Gauteng
(Emerson Bam 73, Kieron van Wyk 76, Kian Rose 77, Nkosenye Carl Mwale 79, Brandon Weir Jnr 80)
392 EGGU
(Liam Van Deventer 76, Grant Ferreira 77, Casey Jarvis 78, Yurav Premlall 79, Zamokuhle Nxasana 82)
394 Southern Cape
(Jordon Duminy 74, James Murray 76, C.J van Wyk 81, Jan Human 81, Michael Papenfus 82)
397 Gauteng North
(Zander Lombard 77, Murad Hoosen 77, Neil Retief 80, Christiaan Kieser 81, Duan Denner 82)
411 Border
(Dean Lones 79, Daniel van Seumeren 79, Cameron Renton 82, Damian Osner 84, Logan Roos 87)
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the South African Golf Association.
Lali Stander