Up-and-coming local junior golfer Christiaan Maas is part of a select group of juniors who will soon participate in Italy in the prestigious Reply Italian International Under-16 Championship.

The tournament, in which the coveted Theodore Soldati Trophy is at stake, will take place from 3 to 5 September at the Biella Golf Club Le Betulle.

The 15-year-old Maas, a pupil of Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool, ranks one spot below third-placed Yurav Premlall from Glendower in the GolfRSA Under-17 Rankings.

After a wire-to-wire victory in the Dimension Data Junior Open at Fancourt in June, he followed it up with a second place at the St Francis Links and a fifth place in the Nomads SA Boys Under-17 Championship respectively. Then he just lost out on a first Open Amateur win when Martin Vorster beat him in a 7-hole play-off for the Limpopo Championship title.

South African Golf Association vice-president Martin Saaiman, who will accompany the team to Italy alongside GolfRSA National Squad chaperone Theo Bezuidenhout, believes the selected juniors are up to the task at hand.

“The 144-strong playing field will feature top representation from around 20 countries, including 60 of Italy’s top rising talents. Our boys are incredibly keen to make the most of the chance to represent South Africa on the international stage and I believe they will do us proud,” said Saaiman.

Saaiman said they are very excited to see how the South African boys perform in such a strong field at a top-rated European golf course.

“This event represents an incredible opportunity for them to showcase their talent and to gain valuable international experience,” Saaiman concluded.

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