Lasalarie and Macnab set Curro SAJI pace

France’s Alexandre Lasalarie fired a brilliant five-under-par 67 to take the first round lead in the 106-strong Boys Division on day one of the Curro South African Juniors International (SAJI) on Tuesday, while South Africa’s Caitlyn Macnab leads the 42-strong Girls Division in the 54-hole Global Golf Junior Tour strokeplay event at Durbanviile Golf Club.

 Boys Competition

“I was happy with my round because I didn’t putt well, but I made two eagles on the front nine and played the four par 5s at four-under,” said Lasalarie.

 “I let myself down on the four par threes by going three-over. My approach shots to the greens were good without finding the putting surface. I found difficult situations and paid the price. Overall, I’m feeling good about things. The course is in great nick; the fairways have a lot of run on them due to the dryness and the greens are running fast and true”.

 “My goal tomorrow is to take the right clubs for all the shots and try and limit the error count as best I can. To lead the tournament in such a strong field is really cool, but we still have another 36 holes to play.”

 Lasalarie made a par start before eagling the par-four second to go with a birdie at the next and was well on his way to something special. But for bogeys at the first two par 3s, he would have been well clear of the chasing pack headed by defending champion Garrick Higgo of Boland, Samuel Simpson of Western Province and Wilco Nienaber of the Free State, who also posted rounds of 69.

 The Frenchman offset those two dropped shots with an eagle and a birdie at the two par 5s and without any further bogeys, posted an outward loop of four-under 32. He made two straight pars before dropping a shot at the par-three 12^th, but picked up two further birdies without any more drops for an inward loop of two-under 35.

 Boland’s Higgo, 17, was more than happy with his morning’s work.

 “Being the defending champion brings added pressure,” he said. “To be able to shoot 69 and be well in touch with the leader is awesome. I play to win every time I compete and I’ve got another two days to stake a claim for the sought-after title in an event that is the biggest of its kind in the world.

 “I felt comfortable throughout the round. I picked up two birdies in my first three holes and four in total with only one bogey, so no complaints although I need to tighten up here and there in that I was having to scramble for pars more often than I would have liked.”

 The De Zalze Golf Club member is one of the strong candidates to make the International Team to compete in the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup on home soil in September.

 “To make the side would be awesome and as things stand I’m in the hunt for a place,” Higgo said.

 Simpson, who won the Durbanville Junior Open earlier this year, hits the ball a mile for such small fellow. He was stoked with his effort in far more testing conditions in the afternoon session.

 “The goal before the tournament was to play it safe, and that’s exactly what I did,” said the 14-year-old Bellville Golf Club member. “Miss the fairways on this course and it will bite you and end all your hopes of success.

 “I went the conservative route and got rewarded. I enjoyed the chip-in at 12 and I ended up with five birdies and two bogeys. The same approach on Wednesday for sure with a bit more emphasis placed on making the good shots count with gains.”

 Girls Division

Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate’s Macnab leads the South African charge through 18, thanks to a fine four-under-par 68.

 “It’s a wonderful feeling to be leading the tournament; something that’s never happened to me before,” said the 15-year-old from Johannesburg. “I struck the ball well off the tee box throughout but missed a number of fairways which complicated matters.

 “My new wedge was hot today and I was able to hang in tough and make saves to go with gains. And I found no bunkers which aided my cause. I ended up making seven birdies and three bogeys, so overall little to complain about.

 “Tomorrow is a new experience. Got to say what a thrill it is to have 18 countries competing. It affords us locals the chance to meet and make new friends with girls and boys from overseas while measuring our skill sets. I’ll be gunning for a better round if the wind stays away and I cut out the little mistakes that pop up every now and again.”

 Australia’s Jihye Park was three shots off the pace in second place after a one-under 71.

 “What a wonderful experience to be in such a beautiful city and then to play on such a lovely course,” she said. “I love that they call it Jewel of the North; it makes being here that much more special.

 “I think I could have done better. My short game and my putting on mint greens was on point to offset my trials and tribulations with the driver in hand. I got an eagle on a par five at the sixth hole but no fond memories of the triple-bogey seven on 14, one I mucked up big time.”

 Defending champion Woo Ju-Son of Country Club Johannesburg signed for an even-par 70 to share third spot with Italy’s Greta Minetto and SA’s Kiera Ford.   

 “What a nightmare start,” said Son. “I made a bogey, bogey start and was three-over through four holes and thought I was on my way to an 85. But I was able to steady the ship with three birdies on the next four holes. From then on only two more bogeys to go with three more birdies. I’m well in the hunt and look forward to the next two rounds.”

 Boys Competition – First Round Scores

67 Alexandre Lasalarie FRA

69 Wilco Nienaber; Samuel Simpson; Garrick Higgo

70 Shaun Jones; Brandon Geere; Sebasian Wiis DEN

71 Luca Filippi; David Amm ZIM; Oliver Goldhill; Roman Kumpost CZE

72 Lisanthan Moodley; Jakub Hrinda; Franklin Manchest; Barend Botha; Jayden Schaper; Robin Williams GBR; Christiaan Burke

73 Liam Millard; Martin Vorster; Jason Shaun Hale; Nikhil Gopal; Angus Klintworth; Warwick Purchase; Liam Cloete; Hampus Björkman SWE

74 Justin Kersten ZIM; Chris Woollam; Antoine Sale; Andre Chong SIN; Liam van Deventer; Alex van Wyk; Carlo Heunis

75 Nikhil Rama; Ayden Senger; Adam Samnegård SWE; Dandre Spies; Joshua Smedema; Thomas Heaton AUS; Xander Prinsloo; Dehan Joubert; Nicolai Rogen Jensen DEN; Jordan Duminy

76 Daniel Cronje; Alessio Graziani; Janco Joel Maritz; Carl Mwale; Chandler Shaw; Ian Botha; Kieron van Wyk

77 Sascha Derp AUT; Felix Schoeffthaler AUT; Jeremy Feist AUT; Freddie Spencer; Titouan Berny; Ben van Wyk; Tyler Duncan AUS; Wayne Profit; Cole Stevens; Paul Kamml AUT; Felix Krammer GER

78 Hannes Hilburger GER; Aidon Willemse; Jens Christian Tvergaard DEN; Luke Pienaar; Nash de Klerk; Gheran Hattingh

79 Loic Heurtin FRA; Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa ZIM; Matthew McCarthy; Alessio Battista ITA; Kifentse Nukeri

80 Francois Cilliers; Romain Legentil; Bastian Buhk GER; Nicholas Botha

81 Hilmi Mallick; Tyran Snyders; William Geach ZIM; Alexander van der Merwe; Miles Taylor; Tobias Schartelmueller AUT; Louis Tee SIN; Sean Cronje

82 Jakub Urbanski POL; Eckart Kassier; Keyan Loubser; Riaan Rooi; Aidil Nor Amani Norazman Bin SIN; Sebastian Wernli GER; Henrik Mårtensson SWE; Alvar Zwahlen SUI

83 Vuylowethu Dlamini; Henco Rieckert; Connor de Groote; Duvan Pretorius

84 Johannes Hounsgaard GER

85 Devon Whitaker; Joshua Wiese

86 Marcus Taylor

88 Nikolaus Rudolf AUT; Mikolaj Kniaginin POL

89 Janco Fivaz

92 Lorenzo Laböck GER

93 Aryaman Mohan ZAM

 Girls Competition – First Round Scores

68 Caitlyn Macnab

71 Jihye Park AUS

72 Woo-Ju Son; Greta Minetto ITA

74 Cecilie B.S Nielsen DEN; Catherine Lau; Rhianna-Maree Lewis AUS; Kiera Floyd

75 Chiara Contomathios; Anna Höybye Schmidt DEN

76 Kaiyuree Moodley

77 Cloe Grand; Nicole Polivchak POL; Cara Ford

78 Sophie-Charlott Hempel GER

79 Kaleigh Telfer; Laila Hrindova; Crystal Beukes

80 Kelsey Nicholas; Casandra Hall; Marie-Louise Tommerup DEN; Vivien Rosner GER

81 Eva-Lucia Lindner GER; Aaliyah Abrahams

83 Lisa Marie Schumacher GER; Annemieke Campo NED; Dorota Zalewska POL; Jordan Rothman; Nikoline Brenøe-Mouritzen DEN; Nicole Shue Ying Mok SIN

85 Nadia Van der Westhuizen; Noluthando Mdanda

86 Kim Turgut; Amanda Thybo Bjerre Nielsen DEN

87 Lisa Papitsch; Katrine Roepstorff DEN

88 Jahaanvie Walia ZAM; Marietta Sandra Ruhl GER

91 Patrizia Schaefer GER; Hijke Pretorius

92 Denise Mei Yan Wong SIN

98 Marine Legentil

WD Kajal Mistry

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