It’s all bets off and go for broke as Sunday’s final round of the Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship delivers a three-way tie for the lead and a tantalising betterball format at Pretoria Country Club.
The teams of Brandon Stone/JJ Senekal, Louis Albertse/Hennie O’Kennedy and Ryan van Velzen/Luca Filippi will start the final round on 10 under par, two strokes clear of the duo of Rupert Kaminski and James Hart du Preez.
And after two rounds of the more challenging foursomes format, Sunday’s betterball will leave no room for the faint-hearted.
“In betterball someone can shoot 58 with their eyes closed. It’s going to be an aggressive final day and a fun day with all the names up there,” Senekal said of the challenge that lies ahead.
Senekal and Stone have looked extremely composed over the past two days and added a 73 in Saturday’s foursomes, using all of their experience on a tricky day. But they’re well aware that anything can still happen in the betterball format.
“Our job is to just keep doing what we do. We’ve played great golf together and on the final day you’ve just got to put your head down and focus on what we can control. You can’t worry about what the others are doing,” said Stone.
Albertse and his partner O’Kennedy are also pleased to have come through two days of foursomes with a share of the lead, and following a combined 72 on Saturday.
“Two days of foursomes is not easy and sometimes you have to grit your teeth, so we’re really going to enjoy it out there in the betterball on Sunday,” said Albertse, who credits playing with his “best friend” as the reason for their good performance.
“A crucial aspect to a tournament like this is enjoying it. Having a teammate and best friend like Hennie makes it even more enjoyable.”
And the young duo of Van Velzen and Filippi worked their way to a foursomes score of 73 on Saturday, which has put them in with a shot at the trophy.
“Both of us have been on the Sunshine Tour for about a year or two now. Ryan is a winner on Tour already and I’m hoping to join him by adding a trophy this week. It’s always nice being in a leading group. There will be pressure but I’m very excited for the final round,” said Filippi.
SCORES (Foursomes):
206 - L Albertse & H O'Kennedy 64 70 72, R van Velzen & L Filippi 65 68 73, JJ Senekal & B Stone 66 67 73
208 - R Kaminski & JH du Preez 64 73 71
209 - D Wicks & J Hawksby 66 73 70, Q Wilsnach & D Joubert 66 72 71, C Waugh & H Epson 65 69 75
210 - A de Kock & K Africa 69 69 72
211 - J Broomhead & G Pepler 61 79 71, J Harvey & M Hollick 67 71 73, T Davidowitz & W Olivier 65 73 73
212 - M Spacey & S Surry 67 73 72, E Conradie & R Conradie 66 73 73, D Naidoo & K Davidse 68 71 73, J Hugo & R Korb 64 70 78
213 - F Manchest & R Joubert 70 71 72, M Muthiya & T Thimba Jnr 66 73 74
214 - M Vorster & J Rebula 67 74 73, L Rowe & J Redman 67 73 74, V Van Deventer & LB Boshoff 66 71 77, M Rohwer & M Bremner 65 72 77
217 - C Cannon & L Jerling 68 72 77
218 - A Poonan & M Mazibuko 70 71 77, S Wears-Taylor & T Fisher Jnr 63 74 81
Missed the cut:
141 - K Barker & U van den Berg 65 76, R Chinhoi & S Krog 65 76, W Dingle & H Bruiners 62 79, L Brown & H Griffiths 66 75, R Williams & T Galant 65 76
142 - A Venter & CJ du Plessis 66 76, J Blaauw & R West 69 73, P Moolman & J Prinsloo 66 76, N Rama & K Van Wyk 70 72
143 - G Trytsman & D Van Niekerk 69 74, M Mitchell & J Van Zyl 66 77, A Gounden & C Mackenzie 67 76
144 - J Mack & R Hendler 70 74, S Cronje & JP Strydom 68 76, H Otto & L Visser 67 77, S Bradley & J Smith 71 73
145 - K Mclachlan & C Mowat 66 79, A Breen & K McClatchie 67 78
146 - F From & N Muyambo 67 79
147 - C Smit & E Lambrechts 67 80, R van der Spuy & G Mckay 66 81, K Thomas & M Kok 72 75
151 - A Haindl & J de Villiers 70 81
152 - A Michael & DK Kim 70 82