Jarvis charges to Africa Junior Open victory

[Monday, August 13, 2018 07:46:10]

In July, GolfRSA National Squad player Casey Jarvis eclipsed the leaders to lift the Nomads SA Boys Under-17 Championship title with a final round eight-under-par 64 at Middelburg Country Club.

On Sunday, the 15-year-old from Boksburg lived up to his billing as one of the best closers on the junior circuit when conjured up a trio of birdies over the last three holes at the Fish River Resort to come from behind and win the Africa Junior Open.

 

Jarvis opened with an even-par 72 on Saturday morning. In the afternoon, he went two shots better to start the final round three shots behind Kieron van Wyk.

He was still trailing the Central Gauteng golfer after 51 holes, but he got within a shot of Van Wyk with a birdie at the par five 16th.

Jarvis drew level with the leader when he drained a long birdie putt at the par three 17th and a birdie finish for a final round four-under 68 landed him the clubhouse lead at five-under 211.

Van Wyk was four-under playing the final hole, but ruined his chances of forcing the tournament into extra time with a double bogey finish.

Jarvis was side-lined with an intercostal muscle injury after the Nomads SA Boys Under-17 event and winning straight off the bench is a huge confidence booster for the Grant Veenstra Junior Golf Academy member.

“You lose your edge when you don’t compete,” said Jarvis, who will be heading to Italy at the end of the month to compete in the Italian Under-16 Championship.

“I didn’t know what to expect after a four week lay-off and it took me a while to get into competitive mode again. There were a couple of ugly holes, but thankfully I saved the best for last.

“I made a great up-and-down for birdie from the bunker at 16 and I holed a 20-footer for birdie at 17. I went with a 3-iron off the tee at 18, hit 9-iron in to 10 feet and made the putt. I was disappointed for Kieron, because it would have been brilliant to face him in a play-off.

“I’m stoked with the win. When you head abroad, you want to take your best form. I didn’t lose too much ground with the lay-off and I still have a couple of weeks to prepare.”

Van Wyk from the South African Golf Development Board signed for a 74 to tie 2018 Tshwane Junior Open champion Samuel Simpson for second on 214.

Western Province’s Simpson, who closed with a 73, will also be travelling to Italy with Jarvis, Yurav Premlall from Ekurhuleni, Central Gauteng’s Kian Rose and 2018 Junior Open winner Martin Vorster, who will be lining up in title defence at the Golf Club Biella.

Meanwhile Ryan van Velzen from Ekurhuleni closed with a 71 to finish fourth on one-under.

Rose, Nikhil Rama and Jordan Duminy tied for fifth on 217. Rose returned an even-par 72, Rama from Central Gauteng carded 68 and Southern Cape’s Duminy claimed the low round honours on the final day with a five-under-par 67.

Final Result

211 Casey Jarvis 72 71 68

214 Samuel Simpson 72 69 73; Kieron van Wyk 71 69 74

215 Ryan van Velzen 73 71 71

217 Nikhil Rama 76 73 68; Jordan Duminy 73 77 67; Kian Rose 68 77 72

218 Warwick Purchase 72 70 76

224 Cole Stevens 79 72 73

225 Carl Mwale 80 79 66; Reece Coleman 77 69 79

226 Robert Shearer 78 75 73; Yurav Premlall 78 73 75; Ayden Senger 77 75 74

228 Malan Potgieter 79 74 75

229 Saul Moss 80 77 72; Kyle Kistensamy 77 73 79

230 Ian Pautz 81 78 71; Christopher Long 76 79 75

231 James Murray 82 74 75; Lumkile Mantshiyo 82 73 76; Damian Osner 77 76 78; Sean Cronje 74 80 77

Credit: GolfRSA


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