Casey Jarvis shot a 59 to equal the lowest tournament round in Sunshine Tour history in Saturday’s third round of the Stella Artois Players Championship at Dainfern Country Club and which puts him two shots behind tournament leader Luca Filippi.
It was another day of the most incredible scoring in a tournament that has already delivered some world-class golf.
Jarvis tapped in for par on 18 for his 59 on Saturday to equal the 59 shot by Peter Karmis in the 2009 Lombard Insurance Classic on the Royal Swazi Spa Golf Course in eSwatini.
It lifted him to tied second with Lyle Rowe on 20 under par, with Filippi scoring 29 on the back nine for a 66 that earned him the sole lead on 22 under par.
What a day. ??#StellaArtoisPlayersChamps | #GreatnessBeginsHere | #SunshineTour pic.twitter.com/3gQ8l7JuJH
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) April 15, 2023
But 19-year-old Jarvis stole the show with his record-equaling round.
“I definitely didn’t wake up this morning thinking about a 59. I haven’t been playing well leading up to this round but everything just went for me today. You get out there and the putts just start dropping,” said Jarvis.
The putts started dropping for him as early as the second hole where he made his first birdie of the day. It started a run of seven consecutive birdies for a front nine of 29. Then Jarvis added two birdies and two eagles on the back nine for a 30.
“I hit some good quality shots and rolled in a lot of good putts. The putt on seven was quite long and when that went in I knew it was going to be something quite special,” said Jarvis.
“The eagle on the 17th was really big. I stood on the 18th tee with 59 in my mind. I hit a bad drive but got it done. It’s so tough to do.”
Filippi was delighted with his own performance, and particular the work he’s been doing on staying in the moment and not being sidetracked by what is going on around him. Saturday was certainly a good day to put that to the test.
“I think I did a great job of staying patient and in the present with all the birdies out there. I’m very pleased with the way I’ve played this week and I’ll give it my all in the final round. Casey’s 59 was incredible golf and it will be a good battle with him on the final day. But I’m really comfortable with the position I’m in at the moment.”
Between Jarvis’s record-equaling golf and Filippi shooting his second consecutive 29 over nine holes in this tournament, Daniel van Tonder also added to a day of thrilling golf with his hole-in-one on the par-three 16th, earning himself R200 000 from sponsor Stella Artois.
?? That ace by @DanieVanTonder_ ??#StellaArtoisPlayersChamps | #GreatnessBeginsHere | #SunshineTour pic.twitter.com/u5CK6VVIKo
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) April 15, 2023
LEADING THIRD-ROUND SCORES
194 - Luca Filippi 64 64 66
196 - Casey Jarvis 71 66 59, Lyle Rowe 65 65 66
197 - Kyle Barker 68 64 65
198 - Rupert Kaminski 65 67 66, Jaco Van Zyl 66 65 67
199 - Jovan Rebula 64 66 69, Luke Jerling 64 66 69, Tristen Strydom 63 67 69, Dan Erickson 66 62 71
200 - Peter Karmis 68 65 67, Leon Vorster 66 66 68, Malcolm Mitchell 67 65 68
201 - Louis Albertse 69 67 65, Jacques P de Villiers 68 67 66, Ryan Van Velzen 67 67 67, Jared Harvey 64 69 68, Keagan Thomas 64 67 70, Darren Fichardt 62 68 71
202 - Callum Mowat 66 70 66, Estiaan Conradie 65 69 68, Michael Palmer 66 68 68, Jacques Blaauw 68 66 68
203 - Thriston Lawrence 70 69 64, Heinrich Bruiners 70 67 66, Stefan Wears-Taylor 68 67 68, Albert Venter 64 71 68, JJ Senekal 67 66 70, Robin Williams 67 66 70, Daniel van Tonder 66 67 70
204 - Harry Konig 69 66 69, Keenan Davidse 67 67 70
205 - Pieter Moolman 72 67 66, Sean Bradley 68 68 69, Chris Cannon 70 66 69, Rourke van der Spuy 67 66 72
206 - Kyle McClatchie 69 69 68, Mutahi Kibugu 69 69 68, James Mack 69 68 69, Rhys West 72 65 69, Siyanda Mwandla 70 67 69, Quintin Wilsnach 67 68 71
207 - Alex Haindl 70 69 68, Christiaan Burke 67 71 69, Martin Rohwer 69 69 69, Franklin Manchest 66 72 69, Jean Hugo 68 69 70, Wynand Dingle 70 67 70, Adam Breen 69 68 70, Dylan Naidoo 70 66 71, Doug McGuigan 69 67 71, Dylan Mostert 64 71 72
208 - Matias Calderon 69 70 69, Wallie Coetsee 71 68 69, CJ du Plessis 72 66 70, Ulrich van den Berg 70 68 70, Combrinck Smit 70 65 73, Ruan Korb 68 67 73
209 - James Hart du Preez 70 69 70
211 - Nikhil Rama 69 70 72, Henning du Plooy 70 66 75
212 - Richard Joubert 69 69 74, Herman Loubser 70 68 74, Pierre Pellegrin 67 70 75