NATIONAL NEWS - Top ranked amateur Tristen Strydom credited an extraordinary rock climber Matt Bush, biokineticist Gavin Groves, sports producer Louis Hattingh and the competitive environment of the country’s premier development Tour for collectively inspiring him to make the most of his second start on the IGT Tour on Monday.
The 19-year-old Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate golfer fired an opening three-under-par 69 to land a share of the Irene Challenge lead alongside Terence Boardman. The pair lead by one shot from Zwartkop Match Play champion Damian Naicker and local amateur Ruan Korb and Philip Kruse and finished two shots clear of Sunshine Ladies Tour campaigner Carrie Park, who birdied the 18th to tie for sixth with England’s Gregg Blainey.
Strydom led the South African Golf Association Open Amateur rankings for over a year, but since his comeback from a back injury late last year, the Pretoria native has slipped to 10th in the standings.
“I’ve had a couple of solid finishes, including a tie for second in my first IGT Tour event early in the year, but after the string of disappointing results during our trip to the United Kingdom with the Golf RSA National Squad, I’ve been frustrated,” he said.
“This wasn’t a good place to be with the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in September, so I kicked my practice into high gear, but I needed that something-something to fire me up again.
“I decided to stay home and play the IGT Tour after our Golf RSA National Squad camp on the weekend, because I wanted to more game time in a strong competitive setting. Then, during the camp, three things happened: Matt Bush, Gavin Groves and Louis Hattingh.
“Matt Bush is probably the best free solo climber in the world. What this guy does is absolutely insane, but he is so passionate and fearless and he pushes through the most incredible, unthinkable challenges because he loves what he does.
“I’ve known Louis from SuperSport for a long time and I’ve been working with Gavin at the HPC this year, so I didn’t expect to get much out of sessions, but I was wrong. I don’t know, maybe it was because of Matt that I listened with an open mind, but all these guys stirred up a real hunger in me to compete and to win.”
Strydom began his round at Irene Country Club with a pair of birdies and reeled in a trio gains around the turn to counter three-putt bogeys at three and 14.
“I’ve shot 66 a few times at this layout, but the way I am playing I’ll take that 69,” he said. “It was bitterly cold and I didn’t strike the ball well on the back nine, but I fought like a demon over the last four holes to save pars for a share of the lead.
“I was thinking about how I felt when I won my first IGT Tour title at Benoni Country Club in 2014 and how it inspired me to the number one spot in the amateur rankings. I want that excitement again. The speakers at the camp this weekend reminded me that to succeed, I need to get really professional about my fitness, my practice sessions, everything.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
All competitors RSA unless otherwise specified and amateurs are indicated as AMA
69 - Terence Boardman, Tristen Strydom AMA
70 - Phillip Kruse AMA, Damian Naicker, Ruan Korb AMA
71 - Gregg Blainey (ENG), Carrie Park
72 - Wesley Baptiste AMA, Chris Van Tonder AMA, Theunis Bezuidenhout AMA, Stephan Erasmus AMA
73 - Andrew Plint AMA, Jacques De Villiers, Joshua Seale, Ray Badenhorst, Ru-Juan Lessingh AMA, Matthew Spacey
74 - Maverick Faber AMA (FRA), Xander Basson AMA, Graham van der Merwe, Dean Martin AMA, Gary Daoust (BEL), Etienne J V Rensburg AMA, Estiaan Conradie AMA, Duane Keun
75 - Jannie Botha, Hayden Griffiths AMA, Ruan Conradie AMA
76 - David Nortje AMA, Christopher De Beer AMA, Teagan Moore, Kyle McClatchie AMA, Juan Swart, Tristan Nel AMA
77 - Louis Botha, Jandre Fullard AMA, Driekus Gous AMA, Bryce Myburgh, Leon Vorster AMA
78 - Kyle Barker AMA, Leon Visser AMA, Ricky Hendler AMA, Divan Marais, David McIntyre AMA, Eric Nel AMA, Ruhan Van Dijk AMA
79 - Dwayne Coetzee, Marc De Jager AMA
80 - Bradley Diggeden AMA, Roelof Van Tonder AMA, Gerard Du Plooy, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Wayne du Toit, Hanro Booysen, Cole Dodgen AMA
81 - Brendan Britten (NAM), Quintin Crause AMA, WM Coetzee AMA, Pedro August, Stephane Van Neer AMA (COD)
82 - Ruan Potgieter AMA, Werner Lourens, Keanu Pestana AMA, Nicklas Van Wyk AMA, Thabi Ngcobo AMA, Nikola Uskokovic AMA, Liam Bezuidenhout AMA
83 - Marais Visagie
84 - Sheldon Steyn (ZIM), Francesca Cuturi, JP Schmidt AMA, Zander Potgieter
85 - Heinrich Venter AMA
86 - Charles Grobler AMA, Jordan Parsons AMA
87 - Shaun Oosthuizen AMA, Hendrikus Stoop AMA, Neville Mitchell AMA, Frans Strydom
89 - Shaun Mackeown AMA, Nic Watson AMA
91 - Donald Makhafola AMA
97 - Stephen Forsyth AMA
102 - Gareth Anderson AMA
RTD - Sam Metcalfe AMA
ARTICLE: LALI STANDER
