Power completes great week for Irish golf in South Africa
Mark Power (Kilkenny) . Picture courtesy GUI/Cashman Photography
Kilkenny’s Mark Power showed just why he’s been signed up by Wake Forest University when he closed with a second successive 67 to finish tied for third in the South African Strokeplay Championship.
South African teenager Jayden Schaper (17) closed with a 69 to win by a shot on 19-under 269 from compatriot Deon Germishuys, who shot a 64 at De Zalze Golf Club in Stellenbosch.
Jayden Schaper. Picture courtesy: GolfRSA/Withers and Son Photography
Power tied with South Africa's Hennie O’Kennedy on 12-under 276 with Portmarnock's Conor Purcell tied fifth, a shot further back, after a 68
Mallow's James Sugrue was ninth on nine-under 279 after a 72 with Dundalk's Caolan Rafferty tied 11th on 281 and Naas' Robert Brazill 16th on 282 after an excellent 68 and there was also another strong performance from Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty.
One of the leading Irish contenders for a Walker Cup call up this year, the reigning South of Ireland champion tied for 11th on seven-under with West of Ireland champion Robert Brazill from Naas a shot further back in 16th.
Irish interest in Spain's Copa del Rey ended at Las Colinas in Alicante where Castle's Robert Moran fell two-up to Spain's Asier Aguirre in the last 16 after Dun Laoghaire's Alan Fahy lost on the 19th to Spain's Alvaro Mueller-Baumgart in round one.
South African Strokeplay Championship, De Zalze GC (Par 72)
Final, top-10 scores (RSA unless stated):
1, 269 J Schaper 67 63 70 69;
2, 270 D Germishuys 73 67 66 64;
T3, 276 M Power (Kilkenny) 71 71 67 67, H O’Kennedy 71 68 68 69;
T5, 277 M Mitchell 70 70 71 66, C Purcell (Portmarnock) 71 64 74 68;
T7, 278 S Simpson 70 70 69 69, E Walker (Sco) 66 71 69 72;
9, 279 J Sugrue (Mallow) 67 69 71 72;
10, 280 W Nienaber 73 64 68 75.
Other Irish
T11, 281 C Rafferty (Dundalk) 75 67 68 71; T16, 282 R Brazill (Naas) 70 71 73 68; T35, 286 R Mullarney (Galway) 71 73 67 75; T44, 288 R Cannon (Balbriggan) 72 72 70 74; T68, 300 P McKeever (Castle) 73 70 79 78.
Spanish Amateur (Copa del Rey), Las Colinas, Alicante
Rd. 1 R Moran (Castle) bt D Brandon (Ger) 1 up, A Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) lost to A Mueller-Baumgart (Esp) 19th. Rd. 2 Moran lost to A Aguirre (Esp) 2 up.
