AICHI-PREFECTURE, Japan (15 June 2017) – The GolfRSA Girls Team gained a spot in Japan, but the Boys Team will need to dig deep to realise a top five finish in the Boys Competition of the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup on Friday.
GIRLS COMPETITION
The United States kept their title defence on track with a third round 137 to move two shots clear of Japan on 424 as the South African team produced their best score of the week on the Ishino Course at the Chukyo Golf Club.
Kajal Mistry and Kaleigh Telfer combined for an even-par 144 to lift the team joint fourth on 440 with Australia. Telfer shot 71, Mistry returned a 73 and Symone Henriques carded a non-counting 80.
“Kaleigh was going along steadily and picked up a nice birdie on 13, but she bogeyed 18 to turn level par,” said Women’s Golf South Africa president Sally Greasley. “She regained momentum with a birdie start on the back nine and eliminated an unfortunate bogey at 14 with a birdie-par finish.
“Kajal had a great front nine and offset a bogey at 17 with birdies at 14, 16 and 18, but couldn’t keep it going and dropped shots at three, seven and eight. However, she was pleased to play her way back into the top 10 and was much happier how she struck her driver.
“Symone countered a trio of bogeys with birdies at the 13th and 15th in her outward loop, but spoiled a good start with some big numbers at four and five. She made a triple bogey at four after a lost tee shot and another triple at five after her tee shot went out of bounce, followed by back-to-back bogeys. She was pleased to finish with a birdie at nine and knowing Symone, she will be ready to fire again tomorrow.
“It’s been particularly warm this year and the warm wind dry the greens out quickly and they become slick and rock hard. Brutal pin positions add to the challenging conditions on a very tough course and we expect the pins to be in tricky spots again for the live television coverage in the final round. It’s all to play for on Friday and luckily we are off very early before the greens firm up again.”
BOYS COMPETITION
Thailand fired a 202 to take pole position in the Boys Competition on 622, while Japan and New Zealand also overtook the defending champions United States, who slipped to fourth on 628 after a third round 209.
The South African team began the day in eighth spot and nine shots off the pace. Luca Filippi, Christo Lamprecht and Jayden Schaper contributed a trio of 72s to combine for 216 while Garrick Higgo posted a non-counting 75. The team trails Thailand by 22 strokes.
“To say we are disappointed is probably the best way to explain the mood in the camp,” said team manager Eden Thompson. “We had started the day with both hope and expectation and through seven holes we were looking good with Garrick, Christo and Jay were one under and Luca at level.
“This was a fantastic platform to get a good score on the board, but unfortunately all it did was set us up a little for disappointment as the boys battled over the next 11 holes to maintain momentum.
“Garrick made double on eight after a slightly pushed drive hit trees just left of the fairway and he had to declare a lost ball. The back nine was more of the same with ample birdie opportunities not being converted and the occasional mistake punished.
“Christo visited the hazard on nine, which runs the length of the hole and crosses the fairway twice and walked off with a double. He had to take a drop from an obstruction in the rough at 11 and the ball nestled down in the long rough from where he dropped another shot. He mixed three more bogeys with a trio of birdies over the next seven holes.
“Although Jayden wasn’t as sharp, he continued to play solid and was still one under through 12. His tee shot rolled through the green and plugged in the lip of the fairway bunker, but he followed a good second in the middle of the fairway with a loose pitch shot to 40 feet and three-putted for a double bogey. A birdie at 16 put him back on track but another three-putt bogey followed at 17.
“Luca played a lot better and he scored well, despite a number of uncharacteristic bogeys. He was one under playing 16, but dropped shots at 16 and 17. We lost a lot of ground on the leaders. We are three shots shy of France in seventh and seven shots behind Germany in sixth.
“We have set our sights trying to squeeze them out for fifth place. It will require the utmost accuracy in execution from all four players, but they are fired up to give it their best.”
GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
424 United States 144-143-137
426 Japan 149-139-138
435 Italy 145-147-143
440 South Africa 149-147-144; Australia 145-144-151
444 Colombia 149-150-145
454 France 149-157-148
459 Philippines 163-148-148
465 Mexico 151-156-158
GIRLS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (top 10)
210 Yuna Nishimura JAP 72-70-68
213 Alyaa Abdulghany USA 76-71-66; Benedetta Moresco ITA 70-73-70
214 Emilia Migliaccio USA 71-72-71
219 Grace Kim AUS 73-73-73
220 Ayaka Furue JAP 77-73-70
T6. Riri Sadoyama JAP 80-69-71; Lucie Malchirand FRA 73-79-70; Clara Manzalini ITA 75-74-73
223 Kajal Mistry RSA 71-79-73
BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
622 Thailand 211-209-202
624 Japan 211-210-203
625 New Zealand 217-205-203
628 United States 207-212-209
633 Denmark 213-211-209
637 Germany 219-206-212
641 France 212-213-216
644 South Africa 216-212-216
648 Italy 221-210-217
650 Mexico 221-208-221
658 Colombia 224-216-218
659 Peru 223-220-216
664 Korea 228-219-217
667 Zimbabwe 236-218-213
680 Guatemala 227-226-227
BOYS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
Daniel Hillier NZ 73-64-66
Frank Capan USA 67-68-70
Ren Yonezawa JAP 70-71-65
Kosuke Hamamoto THA 69-70-68
Arituj Winaicharoenchai THA 73-68-66
Shota Ueki JAP 70-69-69
Gustav Frimodt DEN 68-71-70
Sadom Kaewkanjana THA 69-72-68
Jayden Schaper RSA 72-65-72
Rasmus Hojgaard DEN 72-70-69
Julian Perico PER 72-69-69
