Jarvis ready to step up
"The fact that many of them are juniors speak volumes about the standards of coaching, golf academies, the talent management and development programmes in this country."
State Mines Country Club’s Casey Jarvis will be one of the top young players who will feature in the new year’s South African Open Championship.
The golf tournament which takes place from January 9 to 12 at Randpark Golf Club will, once again, feature six of South Africa’s most promising amateur talents.
Jarvis rose to second in the Open Amateur rankings on the back of victories in the Silver Salver and Central Gauteng Open and runner-up finishes in the Gauteng North Open, North West Open, KwaZulu-Natal Stroke Play and the Harry Oppenheimer Trophy.
Also read: Jarvis rallies after weak first round
Him and five other top amateur players will be looking to make an impact against the big names in the sport.
“Jayden Schaper, our current number one, will spearhead the challenge at Randpark alongside Casey Jarvis, Martin Vorster, Sam Simpson, Jordan Duminy and Kyle de Beer, who are respectively ranked second to sixth in the GolfRSA Open Amateur Rankings,” said South African Golf Association (SAGA) president Naadir Agherdien.
“As the custodians of the world’s second oldest Open, we are extremely pleased to offer our amateurs the opportunity to test themselves in a championship of this stature. We are so fortunate that we have a great depth of choice among our elite amateur golfers in South Africa. The fact that many of them are juniors speak volumes about the standards of coaching, golf academies, the talent management and development programmes in this country.
“Although we lose players to the professional ranks at a rate that is more than desirable, we still are able to field top world-class amateur players when needed. SAGA and GolfRSA wish these six amateurs well as they vie for the Freddie Tait Cup and we implore them to grab this opportunity with both hands, as it builds their character and prepares them for their future careers.”
The Freddie Tait Cup – awarded to the leading amateur who makes the 36-hole cut – is the hottest ticket item in South African amateur golf and no fewer than 13 Freddie Tait Cup winners have gone on to win the SA Open.
The illustrious past winners’ list features Major champions Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman and Charl Schwartzel and European Tour winners Branden Grace, Brandon Stone and Dylan Frittelli, among others.
Also read: State Mines youngster the best in Ekurhuleni in 2018
In December last year, a record four amateurs made the weekend at Randpark and the 2018 Amateur champion Jovan Rebula joined the extraordinary league of gentlemen who have won the Freddie Tait Cup with his four-shot victory on six-under-par 278.
“We are very proud of the fact that all six amateurs selected by SAGA are members of the GolfRSA National Squad,” said GolfRSA CEO Grant Hepburn.
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