PARYS (8 October 2015) – Keegan McLachlan’s rounds of 65 and 66 were impressive enough for any day’s golf, but they were made even more exceptional by the changing weather conditions the Gauteng North junior had to master on the opening day of the Glacier Junior Series National Final at Vaal de Grace on Thursday.

The first round was played in stifling heat with little wind, while the second was played in blustery winds and much cooler temperatures as a thunderstorm passed through the Vaal River valley. But McLachlan from Gauteng North played superbly consistent golf to claim a three-shot lead heading into Friday’s final round.

David Meyers, fresh from helping Central Gauteng to the title at the South African Interprovincial Championship, shot a brilliant 64 in the morning, while Luca Filippi of Milnerton perhaps unsurprisingly prospered in the afternoon wind as he matched McLachlan’s 66.

They were lagging behind the Silver Lakes golfer’s two-round score of 13-under-par, however, with Filippi on 10-under and Meyers on nine-under-par after a 71 in the afternoon.

Africa Junior Open champion Sentanio Minnie, who had been tied with McLachlan in second place after the first round, faded in the afternoon to a 76 and is 10 off the pace, tied with Garrick Higgo.

Gregory McKay of KwaZulu-Natal joined McLachlan and Filippi as the only golfers to shoot two rounds in the 60s and he was fourth on seven-under-par heading into the final day.

Fifteen-year-old Werner Deyzel, who set the early pace by going out in 30 in the first round, was fifth after rounds of 66 and 72, with Marco Steyn of TuksSport on five-under, and Dylan Naidoo of Modderfontein Golf Club recovered from going out in 41 in the morning with rounds of 72 and 68 to lie seventh on four-under.

McLachlan had a dream day on which he was never in any doubt as to which club to use or which gameplan to employ.

“It was much windier in the afternoon. It was more challenging, but I just kept the same gameplan. I hit driver everywhere because the fairways are pretty wide and then I hit a lot of greens in regulation and my putter was hot. I didn’t drop a shot all day,” the lanky 16-year-old said.

PHOTO – Keegan McLachlan from Gauteng North; credit Ken Borland.
Written and released by Michael Vlismas Media on behalf of Glacier by Sanlam.