Excitement is hotting up at St Francis Links and golfer Luke Jerling is one to watch. He endured the extreme weather conditions to end the day with with a two-shot lead on 13 under par at the Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship at St Francis Links.
Michael Vlismas reports: After Friday’s weather interruption left the second round incomplete, Jerling finished his second round on Saturday morning with a 66 and a share of the lead with Deon Germishuys (65) on nine under par.
Jerling then endured a tricky third round in which he fought hard for a 68 that included one double bogey, two bogeys and eight birdies to take the sole lead.
Germishuys and Joe Long are his nearest challengers on 11 under par.
But Jerling is extremely experienced and familiar with what St Francis Links can throw at a golfer, having played enough golf here over the years.
“It was a good day overall despite the double bogey and a few bogeys. I thought I bounced back quite nicely from those mishapsm” Jerling said. “The conditions were tricky and it was probably like a two- to three-club wind.
“But it’s nothing that I’m not used to around this place having grown up in Gqeberha. This place is close to my heart and I’ve played a lot here and won a few amateur titles here, so I’m experienced on this course.
“I’m using that and playing smart. I’m very excited for the final round. This golf course, depending on which way the wind is blowing, your gameplan picks itself. Overall I’m very happy. It’s a huge privilege to go out there and try and win the Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship,” Jerling said.
Saturday’s third round also produced a spectacular highlight in JJ Senekal’s hole-in-one on the par-three 14th hole, where he holed out with his eight iron to earn 50 000 Skybucks compliments of Airlink.
The Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship is proudly supported by Stinger GC, Momentum, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA), Kouga Municipality, Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Cape St Francis, Telkom and the PGA of South Africa.
SCORES
203 – Luke Jerling 69 66 68
205 – Joe Long 67 69 69, Deon Germishuys 70 65 70
206 – Hennie du Plessis 66 72 68, Samuel Simpson 64 72 70
208 – Hennie O’Kennedy 73 66 69, Barend Botha 74 65 69
209 – Zander Lombard 71 70 68, Casey Jarvis 75 66 68, Pieter Moolman 70 72 67, CJ du Plessis 71 71 67, Stuart Krog 72 68 69, JJ Senekal 71 69 69, Quintin Wilsnach 68 70 71, Jacques Blaauw 72 65 72
210 – Nikhil Rama 71 71 68, Jordan Burnand 72 69 69, Jaco Prinsloo 71 70 69, Toto Thimba Jnr 71 70 69, Jean Hugo 71 69 70, Keenan Davidse 71 67 72
211 – Louis Albertse 74 70 67, Jason Roets 71 67 73
212 – Christiaan Burke 74 68 70, Martin Vorster 73 69 70, Tyran Snyders 72 69 71, Tomas Gana 72 70 70, Rhys Enoch 73 70 69, Dylan Mostert 72 71 69, Tristen Strydom 74 70 68
213 – Jaco Ahlers 74 69 70, Rupert Kaminski 68 70 75, Liam Grehan 74 70 69
214 – Brandon Stone 74 70 70
215 – Matthew Spacey 71 71 73, George Coetzee 69 72 74, Hayden Griffiths 67 75 73, Benjamin Van Wyk 74 67 74, Jean-Paul Strydom 72 68 75, Bryce Easton 67 76 72, Karabo Mokoena 72 72 71, Thomas Spreadborough 73 71 71, Pierre Viallaneix 72 72 71, Franklin Manchest 70 74 71
216 – Keagan Thomas 76 67 73, Otto Van Buynder 73 71 72
217 – Heinrich Bruiners 72 70 75, Rhys West 72 70 75, Ruan Conradie 71 70 76
218 – Graham van der Merwe 71 69 78, Thabiso Ngcobo 69 75 74
219 – Herman Loubser 75 67 77, Peter Karmis 74 68 77, Robson Chinhoi 70 74 75
220 – MJ Viljoen 73 69 78, Ronald Rugumayo 70 72 78, Stephen Ferreira 73 70 77
221 – Malcolm Mitchell 70 74 77
222 – Stals Swart 71 72 79, Ruan Groenewald 67 77 78
Missed the cut:-
145 – Ruan Korb 73 72, Kyle Barker 77 68, Ryan van der Klis 72 73, Dean Burmester 72 73, Wynand Dingle 73 72, David Amm 69 76
146 – Jake Redman 71 75, Altin van der Merwe 75 71, Jack Hawksby 76 70, Anthony Michael 75 71, Kyle De Beer 74 72, James Mack 72 74, Hennie Otto 75 71, Albert Venter 72 74, Xander Basson 76 70, Luis Carrera 74 72, Allen John 73 73
147 – Neil Schietekat 74 73, Conner Mackenzie 75 72, Rourke van der Spuy 77 70, Celestin Nsanzuwera 73 74, George Van Vuuren 72 75, Wilco Nienaber 72 75
148 – Marcel Steyn Scholtz 76 72, Kyle McClatchie 74 74, Hunter Epson 78 70, Tyron Davidowitz 80 68, Lyle Rowe 76 72, Luca Filippi 76 72, Zachary Chegwidden 73 75, Keanu Pestana 75 73, Jacques Kok 72 76
149 – Gregg Upton 77 72, Christian Kriek 77 72, Calvin Caldeira 70 79, James Pennington 73 76, Andre Van Zyl 76 73
150 – Nick Cunningham 77 73, Slade Pickering 79 71
151 – Brandon Meads 75 76, Gregory Mckay 79 72, Rowan Lester 70 81
152 – Tyrone Ryan 76 76, Mikkel Antonsen 73 79, Jake Roos 80 72
153 – Warwick Purchase 73 80, Danie Van Niekerk 77 76
154 – Leon Vorster 81 73, Gerhard Pepler 77 77, Nyasha Muyambo 73 81
155 – Christiaan Basson 81 74, Keegan Mclachlan 81 74, Ethan Smith 74 81, Cornel Muller 76 79
156 – Kayle Wykes 83 73, Ruan de Smidt 79 77, Marcus Sandile Taylor 79 77, Eric Wowor 74 82, Tumelo Molloyi 79 77, Dean Nysschen 78 78
157 – Ricky Hendler 84 73, Andrew van der Knaap 81 76, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 76 81, Jacques P de Villiers 78 79, Musiwalo Nethunzwi 76 81
158 – Allister de Kock 78 80
161 – Estiaan Conradie 79 82, Makhetha Mazibuko 80 81, Ryan Welsh 81 80, Jastice Mashego 75 86
165 – Daniel Gouws 79 86
167 – Joe Nawanga 83 84, SP Mthethwa 87 80
168 – Edwin Compton 85 83
170 – James Kamte 87 83
171 – Andre Loots 87 84
173 – Ruan Kotzé 84 89
RTD – Simon du Plooy 78 RTD, Werner Deyzel 76 RTD, Joe Knox 77 RTD, Louis de Jager 75 RTD, Merrick Bremner 81 RTD
Source: Vlismas Media
St Francis Chronicle 