VEREENIGING (18 November 2014) – Luke Trocado led the birdie barrage at Maccauvlei Golf Club to take the lead in the Harry Oppenheimer Trophy on Tuesday, but Gauteng North’s Hendrikus Stoop and Philip Kruse are within striking distance of the first round leader.
A six-under-par 66 left the Western Province junior in pole position on the jam-packed leaderboard after a low scoring day served up a sea of 23 sub-par rounds.
Trocado racked up seven birdies, including three over the last four holes, to finish two strokes clear of Stoop, Kruse, fellow Province player Gerlou Roux, Meyer Pauw from Boland and Tristen Strydom from Ekurhuleni.
While Trocado gave a shot back par-four 13th, both Gauteng North players navigated the championship layout with flawless rounds.
Stoop enjoyed a pair of birdies at the second and third holes and reeled in two more at the 15th and 18th for loops of 34, while Kruse birdied the seventh, 11th, 12th and par-five 18th.
The pair finished one stroke clear of reigning Nomads SA Boys U-19 Match Play champion Paul Boshoff and fellow Ekurhuleni amateurs Dylan Mostert and Stefan Cronje and two ahead of former Sanlam SA Amateur champion Ryan Dreyer, who leads the nine-man bus at two under.
With more than 20 years’ experience, former professional Roux always poses a threat, but Stoop is still riding the confidence of his second provincial victory at the EP Stroke Play Championship earlier this month, while Kruse has racked up seven top 10 finishes this season, including a tie for second at the KwaZulu-Natal Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
Teaghan Gauche, who arrived in Vereeniging on the back of a top 10 finishes in the Central Gauteng Open at the tough East Course at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington on Sunday, also joined the chase with an opening 71.
FIRST ROUND SCORES (Top 20)
66 Luke Trocado
68 Gerlou Roux; Meyer Pauw; Tristen Strydom; Hendrikus Stoop; Philip Kruse
69 Paul Boshoff; Dylan Mostert; Stefan Cronje
70 Ryan Dreyer; Fritz Orren; Jason Froneman; Garth Wolter; Quintin Crause; Jade Buitendag; Aubrey Beckley; Kyle Barker; Divan Marais
71 Armandt Scholtz; Teaghan Gauche; Michael Dixon; Herman Loubser; Tjaart van Wyk
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Gauteng North Golf Union.
Hendrikus Stoop is one off the pace after the first round of the Harry Oppenheimer Trophy at Maccauvlei Golf Club; credit Action Pix Event Photography.