A magnificent 62 earned Jacques Kruyswijk a two-stroke lead going into Sunday’s final round of the Vodacom Origins of Golf at the Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate.
Kruyswijk produced a bogey-free round highlighted by an eagle two on the eighth hole – his 17th – to lead on 12 under par.
His nearest challengers are George Coetzee and Ryan van Velzen on 10 under par following their second rounds of 65 and 64, respectively.
Kruyswijk is looking for his second victory on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series, and as a vastly more experienced player than the one he was when he won in 2023.
“Today was special. I always play well in the Cape. I played well and managed the course very well. That gave me a lot of scoring opportunities. If you get momentum on this course, there are a lot of scoring opportunities out there. I’m looking forward to the final round. I’m getting a bit older so there is a lot more experience coming in. Hopefully that will show in the final round,” he said.
Behind him, Coetzee has his own ambitions for a final round on a series where he won his first Sunshine Tour title.
It’s been a long time since a young golfer who turned professional in 2007 and who used to wear his beloved Liverpool Football Club’s team jersey to pro-am functions broke through with his maiden Sunshine Tour title on the series that year.
GRATEFUL COETZEE
A victory on Sunday would put Coetzee second on the list of all-time Vodacom Origins of Golf wins with six titles. Jean Hugo holds the series record with his 12 titles.
“The Vodacom Origins of Golf series has been there for my whole career. It was my first professional victory. They’ve been great to the Sunshine Tour and have been very loyal, and as players we’re very grateful for that,” said Coetzee.
He birdied his opening three holes and then added another two birdies before the turn. His back nine had one bogey and two birdies.
“I didn’t feel like I was playing superb golf but I capitalised on the holes I played well on. I was very disappointed in the bogey on 11 because I had a five iron in on a par five and made bogey. But my caddie just told me to get over it."
Gabrielle Venter was the only Sunshine Ladies Tour professional to make the cut and will tee off on Sunday at two under par after her round of 71.
SCORES
130 - Jacques Kruyswijk 68 62
132 - George Coetzee 67 65, Ryan Van Velzen 68 64
134 - Herman Loubser 68 66, Altin van der Merwe 66 68, Zander Lombard 64 70
135 - Kyle Barker 69 66, Jean-Paul Strydom 69 66
136 - Stephen Ferreira 67 69, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 69 67, Ryan van der Klis 69 67, Neil Schietekat 69 67, Louis Albertse 68 68, Austin Bautista 68 68
137 - Rupert Kaminski 71 66, Keagan Thomas 70 67, Paul Boshoff 68 69, Keenan Davidse 67 70, Graham van der Merwe 70 67
138 - Mikkel Antonsen 68 70, Yurav Premlall 67 71, James Mack 70 68, Stuart Krog 68 70, Christiaan Basson 71 67, Ruan Conradie 71 67, Lyle Rowe 71 67
139 - Jacques Blaauw 70 69, JJ Senekal 71 68, Luis Carrera 70 69, Ronald Rugumayo 69 70, Jaco Prinsloo 68 71
140 - Sentanio Minnie 69 71, Jordan Burnand 69 71, Gabrielle Venter 69 71, Jack Hawksby 69 71, Jason Roets 68 72, Xander Basson 71 69, Heinrich Bruiners 72 68, Dylan Mostert 71 69, Pierre Viallaneix 73 67, Rowan Lester 72 68, Keegan Mclachlan 70 70, Albert Venter 69 71, Kian Rose 69 71, Hennie O'Kennedy 71 69, Joe Long 69 71
141 - Ivan Verster 70 71, Ricky Hendler 71 70, Pieter Moolman 70 71, CJ du Plessis 70 71, Toto Thimba Jnr 71 70, Dwayne Basson 70 71, Ethan Smith 70 71, Allen John 70 71, Marcus Sandile Taylor 72 69, Hennie Otto 71 70, Tristen Strydom 74 67, Estiaan Conradie 69 72
Missed the cut:-
142 - Robson Chinhoi 71 71, Rhys West 71 71, Quintin Wilsnach 75 67, Samuel Simpson 71 71, Charl Barnard 74 68, Trevor Mahoney 72 70, Kyle McClatchie 71 71, Tyran Snyders 71 71, Oliver Bekker 70 72, Eric Wowor 71 71, Benjamin Van Wyk 68 74, James Pennington 70 72
143 - Ruan Korb 70 73, Stals Swart 71 72, Jacques P de Villiers 72 71, Slade Pickering 72 71, Christian Kriek 73 70, Jake Redman 70 73
144 - Tomas Gana 74 70, Joe Knox 68 76, Conner Mackenzie 74 70, Luke Brown 74 70, Franklin Manchest 75 69, Gregory Mckay 72 72, Zachary Chegwidden 74 70, Ruan de Smidt 70 74, Peter Karmis 76 68, Isabella van Rooyen 72 72, Jason Broomhead 72 72, Nyasha Muyambo 73 71
145 - Rourke van der Spuy 71 74, Kyle De Beer 77 68, Leon Vorster 74 71, Thomas Spreadborough 75 70, Danie Van Niekerk 70 75, Sean Cronje 73 72
146 - Brandon Meads 73 73, Tristin Galant 71 75
147 - Keanu Pestana 73 74, Christiaan Burke 74 73, Nick Cunningham 77 70, Ruan Groenewald 75 72
148 - Gregg Upton 72 76, Luke Mayo 72 76, Liam Grehan 77 71, Wynand Dingle 76 72, Gerhard Pepler 71 77, Khaya Jika 71 77, Jordan Duminy 77 71, Luke Jerling 71 77
149 - Otto Van Buynder 76 73, Matthew Spacey 77 72, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 77 72
150 - Hayden Griffiths 75 75, Cara Gorlei 79 71, Cara Ford 76 74, Warwick Purchase 80 70
151 - Keelan Africa 76 75, Doug McGuigan 76 75, Karabo Mokoena 79 72, Richard Kruger 76 75
152 - Umar Davids 77 75, Matthew Dennis 75 77, Gavin Vorster 77 75
153 - Hayden Garcia 79 74, M.S. Calitz 79 74
154 - Tyron Davidowitz 74 80
157 - Stian Oosthuizen 79 78, Terence Coutinho 79 78
159 - Bronwyn Doeg 79 80
160 - Leontine Petit 83 77
162 - Neil Whitehorn 77 85
167 - Tara Baglione 84 83