19 August 2015 – Mpumalanga golfer Andre van Heerden fired a nearly flawless 66 in blustery afternoon conditions at Selborne Country Club, but Gauteng North’s James du Preez is just one behind in the first round of the 36-hole Stroke Play Qualifier of the KwaZulu-Natal Amateur Championship on Wednesday.

Van Heerden from Walker Park eagled the par five third and reeled in five birdies against a lone bogey, while Du Preez from Pretoria Country Club was equally impressive with five birdies and an eagle against bogeys at 13 and 17.

Mohit Mediratta from Central Gauteng and Gauteng North par Reinhardt Blaauw and Teaghan Gauche finished four shots off the pace.

Mediratta and Blaauw took advantage of the benign conditions in the morning to set clubhouse target and Gauche joined the threesome at two under after navigating the par-72 layout with four birdies and a brace of bogeys.

Royal Johannesburg & Kensington’s Mediratta used a pair of eagles to wipe out two double bogeys in his trip around Selborne, while Centurion’s Blaauw carded birdies at one, seven and 14 to grab a share of third.

Central Gauteng trio David McIntyre, Tyron Gibb and Darrin de Smidt finished a further stroke adrift.

Meanwhile newly-minted Southern Cape Open champion Carlo O’Reilly from Western Province joined the bus at even-par alongside Gauteng North’s Albert Venter and Philip Kruse, Aubrey Beckley from North West and local amateur Warren van Heerden to complete the top 10.

36-Hole Stroke Play Qualifier: Round One Scores – TOP 20
66 Andre van Heerden
67 James du Preez
70 Mohit Mediratta; Reinhardt Blaauw; Teaghan Gauche
71 David Mcintyre; Tyrone Gibb; Darin de Smidt
72 Warren van Heerden; Carlo O’Reilly; Albert Venter; Philip Kruse; Aubrey Beckley
73 Nicholas Botha; Eric Wowor; Keagan Thomas; Malcolm Mitchell; Jason Viljoen; Andi Dill; Clayton Mansfield; Samuel Gouma

PHOTO – James du Preez; credit Roger Sedres / Image SA.