6th August – 16-year-old Boston Franks (Steenberg) won a hard fought ERINVALE Junior Championship title on a magnificent winter’s day.

After regulation play Boston Franks, Andries van der Vyver (Strand) and Oliver Scriven (Pearl Valley) were all locked together on 73 – 2 over par – the par 4 4th hole being shortened to a par 3 on the day. Boston Franks had an opportunity to be the outright leader but a double bogey 6 at the par 4 17th brought the other players into contention. In the interim Andries van der Vyver made up some lost ground by birdieing both the 16th (par 5) and the 17th (par 4). In the end all 3 leaders had their ups and downs – Oliver started with a double bogey, and Andries had a double bogey at the par 5 7th.

The in-form Josh Daniels (Durbanville) was standing on the 15th tee 2 under par but an unfortunate 3-hole stretch, in which 5 shots were dropped, saw him finish on a gross 74. In the end a par at the first play-off hole saw Boston Franks win his first WP Junior Golf title. Boston has been in great form of late – 3rd at the recent SOMERSET WEST Junior with a 75, losing the WP Junior Boys Plate Final and then finishing 2nd at the MILNERTON Junior with a 68.

Henru Walters (Durbanville), Taahir Mallick (Rondebosch), Mitch Phigeland (Atlantic Beach Links) together with Josh Daniels finished one shot back on 74. 75s were recorded by Jaden Visagie (KD Mowbray), Nicholas Thompson (Westlake) and Gabriel Firer (KD Mowbray).

The B division was comfortably won by Oliver Malyon (Clovelly) on a gross 79. The Under 13s saw a titanic tussle between Daniel van den Berg (De Zalze) and Luke Jacobs (Royal Cape) – Daniel finishing on 77 and Luke 78.

The Erinvale Golf Club played its part with the course being presented in immaculate condition.

The Erinvale Junior Championship is the 9th event in a series of 16 local junior opens, forming part of the “Junior Championship Tour 2023” in which the qualifiers compete in a final in October at Royal Cape Golf Club.

Results (21)ERINVALE Junior Championship 2023

Qualifiers thus far for the “Junior Championship Tour Final” are as follows, namely:

• Divan Linde – Parow Junior Championship
• Taahir Mallick – Kuils River Junior Championship
• Henru Walters – KD Mowbray Junior Championship
• Jack Buchanan – Bellville Junior Championship
• Jungwi Lee – Rondebosch Junior Championship
• Josh Daniels – Somerset West Junior Championship
• Jaydon Galant – Prentice Memorial Trophy
• Boston Franks – Milnerton Junior Championship
• Andries van der Vyver – Erinvale Junior Championship

Report by Peter Little