Kuils River Open – Jungwi Lee wins back-to-back Opens in convincing style.

A captivating spectacle of golf was witnessed over the past two weeks.

This year, 82 players teed it up at the tournament, making it one of the most competitive fields in the tournament’s history.

The golf course was laid out so that the best of the best would be challenged, but sheer talent overcomes the odds. Despite the rolling winds that battered the Kuils River Golf Club’s course, the players’ enthusiasm for the Kuils River Open was not dampened.

The field was transformed into a bull run rampage, with players making birdies and eagles left, right and center.

Jungwi Lee (Royal Cape) continued where he left off last week. His three-shot victory placed him in a strong position at the top of the PAT Order of Merit. Positioned well for a title contest.

His round of 65 was complemented by birdies on holes 3, 8, 11, 14, 15, and 18 and an eagle on hole 9.

The runner-up, Altin van der Merwe (Bellville) had returned after an extensive trip up the country competing in some of South Africa’s most prestigious tournaments. Van der Merwe recorded seven birdies on holes 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 17. A series of unfortunate bogeys on holes 5 and 13, as well as an easily reachable par 5 on 18, hindered his chances of getting into the playoff. Nonetheless, van der Merwe, will certainly be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Matthew Cooper (Clovelly) achieved a podium position with a third-place finish over teammate Jack Buchanan (Milnerton). Last year, Cooper, who enjoyed a stellar 2022, won four times including the Premier Amateur Tour title, the culmination of a stellar year. It was his first time in a competitive environment in 2023 posting a score of 2 under par in a relaxed and casual manner.

Ryan Stopford (Milnerton), winner of the Mid-Amateur section, played a round of golf that resembled a tug-of-war beginning with four bogeys on his first seven holes. After an eagle on hole 2, he put the pedal to the metal and posted birdies on holes 6, 8, 11 and 17. The highlight of his day was when he boxed a lengthy eagle putt on hole 18 to win by one stroke over his nearest competitor.

After being runner-up last week, Lee-Ann van der Merwe (Langebaan) managed to prevail over Isabella Williams (Strand) by a mere one shot to capture the victory. A score of 82 was adequate. A steady, yet priceless performance with 10 pars and a birdie on hole 8 apart from a few bogeys, a double, and a quadruple bogey on the cards, did not dampen her spirits to secure a sweet victory in this tournament.

Our sponsors have been instrumental in making these tournaments such an enormous success:

• Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages
• Subtropico

Click here to view the full results – Kuils River Open 2023 – RESULTS