Update
GEORGE NEWS - Casey Jarvis took full advantage of a picture-perfect day at Fancourt and a forgiving Outeniqua Golf Course, and signed for a 64 to lead the first round of the Dimension Data Pro-Am on Thursday 9 February.
Jarvis’ round of eight under par earned him a one-stroke lead over fellow South African Luke Jerling and Sweden’s Adam Blomme in this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned tournament.
And he also leads in the team event with his amateur partner and executive director of the Sunshine Tour, Selwyn Nathan, on 11 under.
Jerling’s three-putt at the last on the Outeniqua cost him a share of the lead. Blomme shot his round of seven under par on The Links, traditionally the most challenging of the three Fancourt courses used in rotation for this tournament.
But on the opening day the Montagu course also proved quite a test with only one score from here – Ruaidhri McGee’s 66 – making it into the top five on the leaderboard.
Jean Hugo, who has finished second here before, and Oliver Bekker are both well placed on six under par.
Jarvis was delighted with a performance that reinforces the hard work he’s been doing to give himself chances on tour. Towards the end of last year he finished second in the South African PGA Championship, and then made a strong run at the lead in the Joburg Open on his way to finishing ninth.
“Before the end of last year I saw a friend of mine and he helped me with my swing just before the big tournaments, and I started hitting the ball really well,” said Jarvis.
“There were a few times when I put myself in some good positions in those events. I just want to keep putting myself there and keep learning. I’m learning more every time I’m out here and gaining experience.”
Jarvis didn’t hold back on day one as he went out determined to take advantage of the Outeniqua layout.
“I was aggressive from the beginning. I knew I was hitting the ball well and in control of my irons. I didn’t really miss many iron shots today,” he said.
“I played really well right from the start. I hit the ball solid all day. In my practice rounds I worked especially hard on my putting and it paid off today. I rolled in a lot of putts. I’m just really pleased with my performance. It’s nice starting the tournament on the Outeniqua course and putting in a good low score that sets me up for the more challenging courses over the next few days.”
Jarvis’ performance had former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana star Jimmy Tau in awe as he was given a front-row seat as one of the VIP amateurs competing alongside the pros this week.
“You just stand there and admire them. I was in awe every time the pros hit their shots. Their work ethic and the way they conduct themselves is so professional. As a social golfer you think you understand what it takes to play at this level until you get out there with them, and you see it takes a lot to be a pro.”
Jimmy Tau and Casey Jarvis. Photos: Tyrone Winfield and Grant Leversha
Scores:
64 - Casey Jarvis
66 - Adam Blomme, Luke Jerling
66 - Ruaidhri McGee, Clancy Waugh, Jean Hugo, Oliver Bekker
68 - Gerard du Plooy, Steven Brown, JJ Senekal, Jacques Kruyswijk, Dylan Naidoo, Merrick Bremner, Adam Breen, Alvaro Quiros
68 - Jacques Blaauw, Oliver Farr, Callum Mowat, Stuart Manley, Andrea Pavan, Alejandro Canizares, Brandon Stone, Thomas Aiken, Lorenzo Scalise, Pierre Pineau
69 - James Kamte, Louis Albertse, Hennie Otto, Martin Vorster, Frederic Lacroix, Derek Ackerman, Lyle Rowe, Kyle Barker, Alfie Plant, Wilco Nienaber, Sam Bairstow, Craig Howie, Rhys Enoch, Luca Filippi, Manuel Elvira, Javier Sainz, JC Ritchie, Conor Purcell
71 - Oliver Lindell, Lars van Meijel, Anton Karlsson, Mateusz Gradecki, Anthony Michael, Keith Horne, Henric Sturehed, Rupert Kaminski, Fredrik From, Ryan van Velzen, Euan Walker, Felix Mory, Divan van den Heever, Michael Palmer, Pavan Sagoo, Jaco van Zyl, Benjamin Rusch
71 - Heinrich Bruiners, Clement Berardo, Sean Bradley, Emilio Cuartero Blanco, Benjamin Follett-Smith, Martin Rohwer, Toby Tree, Keagan Thomas, Yan Wei Liu, Ivan Cantero Gutierrez, Christiaan Burke, Jonathan Thomson, Chris Paisley, Mikael Lundberg, Matteo Manassero, Christopher Feldborg Nielsen, Ugo Coussaud, Tom Murray, Shaun Norris, Steven Tiley
73 - Combrinck Smit, Benjamin Poke, Max Schmitt, Yurav Premlall, Nikhil Rama, Marco Penge, Christopher Mivis, Callan Barrow, Garrick Porteous, Marc Hammer, Jean-Paul Strydom, Alan McLean, Renato Paratore, Niklas Regner, Hennie O'Kennedy, Trevor Fisher Jnr, Joel Girrbach, Malcolm Mitchell, Victor Rufian
73 - Joel Sjoholm, Lucas Vacarisas, Daniel O'Loughlin, Liam Johnston, Stephen Ferreira, James Hart du Preez, Keenan Davidse, Dylan Mostert, Dan Erickson, Joachim B Hansen, Elias Bertheussen, Pieter Moolman, Darren Fichardt, Nicolai Kristensen, Francesco Laporta, Borja Virto, Ricardo Gouveia, Jovan Rebula, Franklin Manchest
75 - OJ Farrell, Siyanda Mwandla, Adriel Poonan, Makhetha Mazibuko, Ashley Chesters, Luke Brown, David Boote, Velten Meyer, Tristen Strydom, Herman Loubser, Jamie Rutherford
76 - Jacquin Hess, Lorenzo Gagli, Toto Thimba Jnr, Wynand Dingle, Philip Eriksson, Jeppe Kristian Andersen, Ruan Korb, Rourke van der Spuy
76 - Lindani Ndwandwe, Robert Foley, CJ du Plessis, Ruan Conradie, Estiaan Conradie, Koen Kouwenaar, Gregorio de Leo, Jaco Prinsloo, Oscar Lengden, Alex Haindl
77 - Robin Petersson, Stefan Wears-Taylor, Kyle McClatchie
78 - Gary Boyd, Chris Wood
80 - Sean Cronjé
81 - Kristoffer Reitan
81 - Aneurin Gounden, Lucas Bjerregaard
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