Dimension Data Junior Open

Vorster, a member of the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy down the N2 at Pinnacle Point Golf Estate, fired an impressive three-under-par 69 in the challenging conditions to take the lead in the Under-19 tournament at Kingswood.

“The weather was really challenging and I just reminded myself to stick to basics and to go through my processes on every shot,” said the 17-year-old GolfRSA National Squad player.

“I two-putted the first and the third for birdies, missed a really short putt for par at four and managed to get the shot back with a birdie at seven.

“I hit my driver just short of the green at eight and chipped it close to tap in for birdie. I hit a sand-wedge over the green and chipped in for birdie at nine. Then I made a really dumb drop at 10. I hit it just short of the green and didn’t up and down.”

Vorster birdied 11 but hit a 2-iron out of bounds right on 13 and dropped a shot.

“The rain was bucketing down from the 13th and the wind was pumping,” Vorster said. “I made some good pars to keep the round going. At 16, I hit driver off the tee, 3-iron for my second and 9-iron from 110 metres into the green to give. I tapped in for four to get to four-under.

“I parred 17 and missed the green right at 18. I chipped it to five feet, but I missed the par putt. It was a tough day at the office, but if you could keep it in the fairways, you still had a chance for birdies.”

Not surprisingly, Christo Lamprecht was hot on Vorster’s heels.

The George golfer returned from the GolfRSA UK Tour buoyed by an international breakthrough in the East of Ireland Amateur Championship. Lamprecht eagled the first, as did Central Gauteng’s Marcus Taylor, and the pair tied for second on two-under.

South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) duo Carl Mwale and Tristan Galant tied for fourth with Bridge Fund Manager Junior Series winner Tyran Snyders on one-under.

Ekurhuleni’s Casey Jarvis, who won the Nomads SA Boys Under-15 Championship at Kingswood in January, carded a one-over 71 to round out the top 10 alongside Jordan Duminy, Daniel Cronje and Oliver Goldhill.

Nikhil Rama from Bryanston Country Club definitely had the best finish of the day with his first ace.

The Central Gauteng junior holed out with a 5-iron from 155 metres into the wind at the par three closing hole and the one on his card for a 75 propelled Rama into the top 20.

Dimension Data Junior Open

69 Martin Vorster

70 Christo Lamprecht Jnr; Marcus Taylor

71 Carl Mwale; Tristan Galant; Tyran Snyders

73 Oliver Goldhill; Casey Jarvis; Jordan Duminy; Luhan Bester; Daniel Cronje

74 Samuel Simpson; Brandon Weir; Eben Spangenberg; Ben van Wyk; James Murray; Kian Rose

75 Jurie Johannes Mostert; Nikhil Rama; Tiaan van der Bank; Liam van Deventer; Kieron van Wyk

76 Yurav Premlall; Ryan van Velzen; Damian Osner; Christiaan Burke

77 Craig Louw; Cole Stevens; Andre van Dyk; LB Boshoff

78 Warwick Purchase; Dijon Coetzer; Connor de Groote; Jean Pierre van der Watt; Jordan Burnand; Ayden Senger

79 Christopher Long; Brendan Porter; Meekah de Sousa; Barend Botha; Jaco Anderson; Christiaan Maas; Kyle Kistensamy; Benjamin Brent

80 Alexander Pienaar; Cade Basson; Dean Sanders; Ryan van der Klis; Saul Moss; Carlos Losper; Reece Coleman

81 NJ Botha; Drikus Joubert; Nash de Klerk; Judd Sundelson; Romain Legentil; Calvin Maia

82 Miles Taylor; Angus Klintworth; Darren Neyt; Herman du Plessis; Keyan Loubser

83 Lumkile Mantshiyo; Alessio Graziani; Shaun Jones

84 Samual Mckenzie

85 Jan-Hendrik Nieuwoudt; Aidon Willemse

87 Logan Roos

91 Hezron Frieslaar

96 James Vorster Jnr

97 Keanan Austin Keffers