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Knysna - Jake Redman made the most of the inspiration all around him as he carded seven-under-par 65 to lead the first round of the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Simola on Wednesday
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Playing a Jack Nicklaus golf course cut into the hills and overlooking the majestic Knysna Lagoon and famous Knysna Heads drew the correct response from the Sunshine Tour professionals.
Redman led by two strokes over Neil Schietekat and Alex Haindl, with Jacques Blaauw a further shot back on four-under-par 68.
It was the opening round of the 10th year of the Vodacom Origins of Golf series, one which gives Sunshine Tour professionals a chance to compete for R3.6-million in prize money over six tournaments through the South African winter.
“I love coming back here, and this year the course is in really good condition,” Redman said after a round featuring only one bogey.
“I really like the layout. It suits my eye. And the condition is always good which makes it easier because when you hit good shots you get rewarded, and the same with putts. It’s nice to get off to a good start like this. I just need to stick to what I want to do.”
Behind him, two players desperately in need of some inspiration were also rewarded. Schietekat and Haindl finally felt the weight of months of grinding ease up just a little with their respective 67s.
“I’ve put a couple of good rounds together the last few weeks, and that shows me that I’m starting to play a bit better,” said Schietekat.
“I’ve been off the map for a year or so, but I just want to put that behind me. If I can just put a whole tournament together, that will be great. But it’s baby steps. I just want to get one round going, then two rounds and so on.”
Haindl was feeling equally optimistic after a morning round in the cold and breezy conditions.
“I started the year off badly and was working on the swing but was down in confidence. It’s building up though and I think we’re going in the right direction. I’ve been making stupid mental errors on the course and I didn’t do that today.”
The theme of golfing redemption was also evident in the bogey-free 68 from Blaauw. “I definitely feel like something is looming and I’m on the brink of a good run,” he said.
But Schietekat best summed up the mood with his analysis of why this course suits him. “A Jack Nicklaus course has usually got a lot of bunkers out there. They give me something to aim at and work the ball off.”
Clearly he’s not the only one aiming at something special this week.
Scores (RSA unless specified):
65 - Jake Redman
67 - Alex Haindl, Neil Schietekat
68 - Jacques Blaauw
69 - Clifford Howes, CJ du Plessis, Peter Karmis, Ruan de Smidt, Tyrone Mordt, PH McIntyre
70 - Tyrone Ferreira, Vaughn Groenewald, Michael Hollick, Ryan Cairns (ZIM), Nic Henning
71 - Gert Myburgh, Heinrich Bruiners, Charl Coetzee, Mark Murless, Pieter Moolman, Theunis Spangenberg, Riekus Nortje, Divan Gerber
72 - Drikus Bruyns, Lindani Ndwandwe, Jared Harvey, Wallie Coetsee, Merrick Bremner, Justin Harding, Jean Hugo, Bryce Easton, Mark Williams, Morne Buys, Bennie van der Merwe, Attie Schwartzel, Ryan Tipping, Ockie Strydom, Allan Versfeld, James Kamte, Michiel Bothma, Bradford Vaughan
73 - Danie van Tonder, Desvonde Botes, Divan van den Heever, Alan Michell, Grant Veenstra, Ryan Thompson, Keenan Davidse, Ulrich van den Berg, Warren Abery, Derick Petersen
74 - Matthew Carvell, Christiaan Basson, Anthony Michael, Des Terblanche, Andrew Curlewis
75 - Steven Ferreira, Louis Calitz, Yubin Jung, Chris Swanepoel
76 - Dean Burmester, Hendrik Buhrmann, JJ Senekal, Jacques Kruyswijk, Grant Muller, Ryan Strauss
77 - Adrian Ford
78 - Lyle Rowe
79 - JG Claassen
80 - Titch Moore, Johan du Buisson
81 - Chris Erasmus
.
Playing a Jack Nicklaus golf course cut into the hills and overlooking the majestic Knysna Lagoon and famous Knysna Heads drew the correct response from the Sunshine Tour professionals.
Redman led by two strokes over Neil Schietekat and Alex Haindl, with Jacques Blaauw a further shot back on four-under-par 68.
It was the opening round of the 10th year of the Vodacom Origins of Golf series, one which gives Sunshine Tour professionals a chance to compete for R3.6-million in prize money over six tournaments through the South African winter.
“I love coming back here, and this year the course is in really good condition,” Redman said after a round featuring only one bogey.
“I really like the layout. It suits my eye. And the condition is always good which makes it easier because when you hit good shots you get rewarded, and the same with putts. It’s nice to get off to a good start like this. I just need to stick to what I want to do.”
Behind him, two players desperately in need of some inspiration were also rewarded. Schietekat and Haindl finally felt the weight of months of grinding ease up just a little with their respective 67s.
“I’ve put a couple of good rounds together the last few weeks, and that shows me that I’m starting to play a bit better,” said Schietekat.
“I’ve been off the map for a year or so, but I just want to put that behind me. If I can just put a whole tournament together, that will be great. But it’s baby steps. I just want to get one round going, then two rounds and so on.”
Haindl was feeling equally optimistic after a morning round in the cold and breezy conditions.
“I started the year off badly and was working on the swing but was down in confidence. It’s building up though and I think we’re going in the right direction. I’ve been making stupid mental errors on the course and I didn’t do that today.”
The theme of golfing redemption was also evident in the bogey-free 68 from Blaauw. “I definitely feel like something is looming and I’m on the brink of a good run,” he said.
But Schietekat best summed up the mood with his analysis of why this course suits him. “A Jack Nicklaus course has usually got a lot of bunkers out there. They give me something to aim at and work the ball off.”
Clearly he’s not the only one aiming at something special this week.
Scores (RSA unless specified):
65 - Jake Redman
67 - Alex Haindl, Neil Schietekat
68 - Jacques Blaauw
69 - Clifford Howes, CJ du Plessis, Peter Karmis, Ruan de Smidt, Tyrone Mordt, PH McIntyre
70 - Tyrone Ferreira, Vaughn Groenewald, Michael Hollick, Ryan Cairns (ZIM), Nic Henning
71 - Gert Myburgh, Heinrich Bruiners, Charl Coetzee, Mark Murless, Pieter Moolman, Theunis Spangenberg, Riekus Nortje, Divan Gerber
72 - Drikus Bruyns, Lindani Ndwandwe, Jared Harvey, Wallie Coetsee, Merrick Bremner, Justin Harding, Jean Hugo, Bryce Easton, Mark Williams, Morne Buys, Bennie van der Merwe, Attie Schwartzel, Ryan Tipping, Ockie Strydom, Allan Versfeld, James Kamte, Michiel Bothma, Bradford Vaughan
73 - Danie van Tonder, Desvonde Botes, Divan van den Heever, Alan Michell, Grant Veenstra, Ryan Thompson, Keenan Davidse, Ulrich van den Berg, Warren Abery, Derick Petersen
74 - Matthew Carvell, Christiaan Basson, Anthony Michael, Des Terblanche, Andrew Curlewis
75 - Steven Ferreira, Louis Calitz, Yubin Jung, Chris Swanepoel
76 - Dean Burmester, Hendrik Buhrmann, JJ Senekal, Jacques Kruyswijk, Grant Muller, Ryan Strauss
77 - Adrian Ford
78 - Lyle Rowe
79 - JG Claassen
80 - Titch Moore, Johan du Buisson
81 - Chris Erasmus
