Mediocre week for SA golfers
27 June 2006
Canadian Tour
Six-time Canadian Tour champion, Trevor Dodds of Namibia, formerly a regular on the Sunshine Tour, matched the pro course record at the Royal Colwood Golf Club on Sunday on his way to a share of second behind the winner, Mike Grob, at the Times Colonist Open.
Dodds, the Canadian Tour money winner in both 1995 and 1996, finished in a tie for eleventh at last week's Greater Vancouver Charity Classic and nearly stole the show on Sunday. Charging hard, he canned a 30-footer at the sixteenth and added with another birdie on the seventeenth to put the heat on Grob.
"No matter what happens today, I can take a lot out of this round," said Dodds as the leaders were still on the course. "It was a solid day and it’s been a long time coming."
Dodds' bogey-free seven-under-par 63 turned out to be one shot too many, but good enough to tie for second with American, John Lieber.
The only South
African to survive the cut was Christo Greyling, a relatively unknown professional from Pretoria. The 23-year old, who attended the University of Georgia and only turned pro at the end of 2005, upped the ante with a final round 66 to stake his second best finish, a share of twenty-seventh, in his seventh start on the Canadian Tour.
European Tour
He may have finished 10 strokes behind Johnnie Walker Championship winner, England's Paul Casey, but South Africa's sole survivor, Andrew McLardy, did himself proud with a credible performance in Scotland.
McLardy fired rounds of 67-76-70-73 around the par-73 layout of the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles to finish on a total score of six-under-par 286. For his share of twenty-second, he bagged a cheque of €21 627 that moved him to 106th on the money list, with earnings of €121 579 after 14 starts.
It wasn't a good tournament for South Africans as six players missed the cut.
It was
a sweet victory for 28-year-old Casey, who claimed his sixth European Tour title at the same venue where he enjoyed his maiden success in 2001.
European Challenge Tour
After an absolutely thrilling final round, culminating in a tension-fraught sudden-death play-off, Spains Francisco Cea defeated England's Tim Milford at the second extra hole to secure the Credit Suisse Challenge title at the par-73 Wylihof Golf Club.
Stellenbosch professional, Jean Hugo, carded a final round two-under-par 71 that included an eagle-three at the par-five fourth to tie for twenty-second on nine-under-par 283. Queenstown's James Kamte had three birdies and two drops en route to his final round 72 and a share of sixty-first on one-under 291.
US PGA Tour
The only South African in the line-up for the Booz Allen Classic was Tjaart van der Walt, who carded rounds of 76 and 73 and missed the cut, set at 141.
American
Ben Curtis was in position to claim his second title after his win in the 2003 British Open, but bad weather put a hold on his victory charge.
Nationwide Tour
American Kyle Reifers, in his pro debut, made birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Brandt Snedeker and capture the Nationwide Tour's Chattanooga Classic title with a blistering total score of 26-under-par 262.
Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge added a final round 70 to his triple 67s for a total score of 17-under-par 271, finishing just outside the top-20 in a tie for 24th. South Africa's Craig Lile finished two shots further back on 15-under par 273.
Champions Tour
John Harris makes birdie on the first playoff hole, defeating Tom Jenkins to win the Commerce Bank Championship and earn his first Champions Tour title. SA's John Bland finished 10 shots back, and Hugh Baiocchi was 20 shots off the pace.
Result from the Times Colonist
Open
269 Mike Grob USA 66-71-65-67
270 Trevor Dodds NAM 71-69-67-63
280 Christo Greyling 70-72-72-66
Missed cut (set at 143)
149 Alan McLean 77-72
Result from the Johnnie Walker Championship
276 Paul Casey ENG 67-71-66-72
286 Andrew McLardy 67-76-70-73
Missed cut (set at 146)
147 Warren Abery 72-75; Hennie Otto 74-73
150 Titch Moore 73-77; Louis Oosthuizen 75-75
152 Darren Fichardt 76-76
159 Michael Kirk78-81
Result from the Credit Suisse Challenge:
276 Francisco Cea SPA 73-69-69-65
283 Jean Hugo 73-70-69-71
291 James Kamte 70-74-75-72
Missed cut (set at 144)
145 Michiel Bothma 72-73
Result from the Chattanooga Classic
262 Kyle Reifers USA 67-69-65-61
271 Brendon de Jonge ZIM 67-67-67-70
273 Craig Lile 68-68-69-68
Missed cut (set at 137)
142 Deane Pappas 66-76
Brenden Pappas withdrew during
the second round due to an injury.
Result from the Commerce Bank Championship:
202 John Harris USA 70-68-64
212 John Bland 68-73-71
222 Hugh Baiocchi 75-75-72
Source: Sunshine Tour
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