Modderfontein defends Oosthuizen Champs

THE four-man junior team from Modderfontein Golf Club defended their Louis Oosthuizen SA Junior Club Teams Championship title with a brilliant wire-to-wire victory at Mossel Bay Golf Club on Sunday.

The Modderfontein juniors hit the front with a first round 212 and combined for a 217 in the second round to hold on to pole position.

Marco Steyn, Karabo Mokoena, Dylan Naidoo and newcomer Eric Wowor combined for a final round one-under-par 215 to seal the team’s back-to-back success.

Kingswood Golf Club vaulted into second, while Dainfern Country Club and Centurion Golf Club tied for third. Kempton Park Golf Club came joint fifth with Randpark.

While the field played the first two rounds in a cool south-easterly wind, the 20 teams arrived to find a blustery north-westerly wind tearing around at the par-72 layout.

The Gauteng quartet carried a six-stroke lead into the final round over Dainfern and simply took the overcast and cold conditions in their stride.

Steyn carded a 70, Naidoo contributed a 72, Wowor registered a tournament best round of 73 and Mokoena closed with a non-counting 79.

Team manager Lance Michler was full of praise for his young charges.

“This win was a fantastic team effort and I am incredibly proud off all four players,” Michler said.

“We knew going into the championship that it would be tough but the players handled the pressure and delivered a winning performance.

“Marco, Karabo and Dylan produced the goods in the first two rounds, and our newbie Eric got over his nerves and came through for the team in the final round.

“We had no heroes on this team; they all played for each other and stood up to be counted over the three rounds.”

Meanwhile David Meyers from Dainfern carded rounds of 72, 67 and 65 to top the individual standings on 12-under-par 204.

The recent Mpumalanga Championship winner finished one stroke clear of Jason Froneman from Kempton Park (71, 68, 66) and three shots ahead of Modderfontein’s Steyn (65, 73, 70).