Jack's the lad — Hume third in Gauteng thanks to super 65
Jack Hume (Ireland) shows his skill during the final day of the 2015 Home International Matches at Royal Portrush. Picture by Pat Cashman
Walker Cup star Jack Hume showed his class when he closed with a sensational 65 to snatch third place in the Liberty Gauteng North Open in South Africa.
Having moved up the leaderboard with a 70 in the morning, the Naas ace made an eagle, six birdies and just one bogey in seven under par final round effort at Irene Golf Club near Pretoria to finish third on 11 under par 277 alongside local player Max Boegel, just two strokes behind winner Jamie Bower.
Bower opened with rounds of 68, 68 and 66 to trail Garrick Higgo (68-69-64) by a stroke with a round to play and had enough with a closing 73 to win by one from his compatriot on 13 under 275.
Castle's Alex Gleeson, the leading Irish player heading into Saturday's final two rounds, got to nine under par thanks to a third round 68.
However, a final round 74 that began with three successive bogeys relegated the talented Dubliner to 13th alongside a fast-finishing John Ross Galbraith.
The Whitehead player, an increasingly polished performer on the international stage, closed with three birdies in his last four holes for a 68 to join Gleeson on six under.
Faithlegg's Robin Dawson (72 72 69 71) and East and South of Ireland winner Stuart Grehan (72 71 70 71) shared 20th on four under 284 while Rowan Lester (287), Colm Campbell (288) and Dermot McElroy (289) all shot under par for 36 holes on the final day.
The eight-strong Irish contingent now heads a few miles further south for the South African Stroke Play Championship, which begins at Blue Valley Golf Estate on Tuesday next.
The Irish will face some stiff competition with local player Marco Steyn — three for three in starts and wins after his recent Free State Open victory — gunning for another win.
The presence of world No 41 Hume, defending champion Ugo Coussard from France, world number 21 Grant Forrest from Scotland and reigning Boys Amateur champion Marcus Svensson from Sweden is motivation for Steyn .
“There will be a lot of guys at Blue Valley next week who can strike the ball really well and who can putt well, but hopefully I’m the guy who makes the crucial shots count,” he said.
Liberty Gauteng North Open, Irene Golf Club (Par 72)
- 1 JAMIE BOWER 68 68 66 73 275
- 2 GARRICK HIGGO 68 69 64 75 276
- 3 JACK HUME 72 70 70 65 277
- 3 MAX BOEGEL 67 71 73 66 277
- 5 DYLAN NAIDOO 69 69 69 71 278
- 6 HERMAN LOUBSER 68 69 71 71 279
- 6 KYLE BARKER 68 72 74 65 279
- 8 ROSSWELL SINCLAIR 67 69 68 76 280
- 9 JAMES DU PREEZ 70 74 68 69 281
- 9 JOVAN REBULA 71 71 69 70 281
- 9 CAMERON MORALEE 69 71 73 68 281
- 9 ALEX GLEESON 65 74 68 74 281
- 13 JOHN-ROSS GALBRAITH 72 70 72 68 282
- 20 ROBIN DAWSON 72 72 69 71 284
- 20 STUART GREHAN 72 71 70 71 284
- 31 ROWAN LESTER 70 75 71 71 287
- 35 COLM CAMPBELL 73 73 70 72 288
- 37 DERMOT MCELROY 72 74 72 71 289
