Former Nomads SA Boys U-19 Stroke Play champion Deon Germishuys will spearhead the A-Division field when the exciting new vlaunches at Royal Cape Golf Club on Monday, 3 July.
Currently ranked eighth in the country, the rising star from Western Province is the highest ranked player in the 70-strong field and a firm favourite to win the first event in the 18- tournament series.
Other top contenders include Luke Pienaar from Boland, South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) prospect Hilmi Mallick, who enjoyed a very successful debut for the Presidents Team in the SA Challenge Cup in May and 15-year-old Tristan Galant, home on a break from Bishops Gate Golf Academy in the United States.
Germishuys elected to skip the Nomads National Order of Merit event at St Francis in favour of the inaugural tournament on the Bridge Fund Managers Junior Series, sanctioned by GolfRSA.
‘Well, this new series offers a massive incentive,’ said the 17-year-old Strand matriculant.
‘All the winners in the U-19 Division qualify for the regional finals, where we’ll be competing for a spot in next year’s North and South Junior in the United States. It would be great if I could win the first event and know my name is already in the hat for the regional final.
‘Also, our national events are usually held in the holidays, so the Bridge Fund Managers Junior Series events is an awesome way for us to stay competitive. It’s been 12 weeks since I played my last national event and the first tournament at Royal Cape will be the perfect way to warm up for the Dimension Data Junior Open next week.’
Given that nearly two months has passed since Germishuys tied for sixth in the Nomads SA Boys U-19 Stroke Play Championship, the Western Province golfer is cautiously optimistic about his chances.
‘I definitely don’t expect it to be a walk in a park,’ said Germishuys.
‘There are some really good players in the Under-19 field and some I don’t know, so I don’t know what to expect from them.
‘People are under the impression that 18-hole events are easy, but it’s actually the toughest format. It is pressure packed from start to finish and there is no room for error. I am striking the ball well and feel good about my chances, but I can’t control what anyone else does. Hopefully what I bring to Royal Cape will be good enough.’
While a lot of attention will be focussed around the A-section, the Bridge Fund Manager Junior Series caters for various skill levels, including Under-13 and Under 10 golfers.
‘We are very proud to partner with GolfRSA and the SAGDB on the Bridge Fund Managers Junior Series to promote golf development in South Africa,’ said Paul Stewart, Executive Director at Bridge Fund Managers.
‘While giving the Under-19 players a chance to play their way into the North and South Junior, we felt it was imperative to motivate young golfers just starting out in the game, hence we extended the tournaments to include different age categories and various handicap divisions.
‘By giving the younger players and beginners incentives and a chance to test themselves in an environment that is competitive, yet fun, we hope to encourage their ongoing participation in the game.
‘Long term, we hope to invest in the development of the next generation of top golfers for South Africa. We are pleased that our first event has drawn 22 players for B-Division and C-Divisions, as well as 10 juniors competing in the Under-13 age group and hopefully the number of participants will increase as the series evolves over the next nine months.’
In addition to prizes across all the divisions, Bridge Fund Managers is also offering a unit trust prize for the first hole-in-one scored in the series, while TaylorMade has signed up as series partner and will sponsor equipment prizes.
Photo: Former Nomads SA Boys Under-19 Stroke Play champion Deon Germishuys will lead the field in the Bridge Fund Managers Junior Series Royal Cape on 3 July 2017
