Moran scorches to impressive 66 at Leopard Creek
Robert Moran (Castle). Picture by Pat Cashman
Castle’s Robert Moran made nine birdies in a six-under 66 to move up to tied fifth heading into the final round of the African Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Leopard Creek.
The Dubliner had two birdies and three bogeys in his first six holes but then went on a tear, knocking in seven birdies in a 10-hole stretch from the eighth to finish the day tied for fifth with South Africa’s Christiaan Maas on four-under.
He’s nine strokes behind leader and defending champion Casey Jarvis, who shot a 68 to lead by four strokes on 13-under from compatriot Yurav Premlall (70) and by five from Aldrich Potgieter, who had 11 birdies in a 65.
It was the low round of the day.
Galway’s Liam Nolan got to four-under through 11 holes but signed for a 70 to share ninth on two-over with Dun Laoghaire’s Alan Fahy tied 28th on 10-over after he made an eagle and three birdies in a 72.
Carton House’s Marc Boucher made the cut with four shots to spare on 14-over after a 75.
Jarvis, Jordan Duminy and new caps Maas and Christiaan Burke celebrated an emphatic, 22-shot victory in the team competition.
TEAM COMPETITION RESULT
641 Team South Africa 217 Christiaan Maas 69 Casey Jarvis 70 Christiaan Burke 78; 214 Casey Jarvis 65 Jordan Duminy 72 Christiaan Maas 77; 210 Christiaan Maas 66 Casey Jarvis 68 Christiaan Burke 76
663 Team England 219 Zachary Chegwidden 67 Sam Bairstow 73 Callan Barrow 79; 217 Zachary Chegwidden 70 Sam Bairstow 71 Callan Barrow 76; 227 Sam Bairstow 72 Zachary Chegwidden 76 Callan Barrow 79
674 Team Scotland 221 Jack Broun 71 Rory Franssen 74 Stephen Roger 76; 223 Jack Broun 72 Rory Franssen 72 Connor Wilson 79; 230 Jack Broun 76 Connor Wilson 77 Rory Franssen 77
676 Team Kenya 229 Adel Balala 72 Njoroge Kibugu 76 Taimur Haider Malik 81; 224 Adel Balala 71 Njoroge Kibugu 76 Taimur Haider Malik 77; 223 Taimur Haider Malik 74 Njoroge Kibugu 74 Adel Balala 75
679 Team South Africa Juniors 232 Daniel Bennett 73 Pascal Gunther 79 Hannes Strooh 80; 226 Daniel Bennett 74 Hannes Strooh 76 Joshua Koekemoer 76; 221 Pascal Gunther 70 Daniel Bennett 75 Hannes Strooh 76
722 Team Zimbabwe 242 Matthew Bramford 79 Tariro November 80 Michael Wallace 83; 243 Tariro November 81 Michael Wallace 81 Keegan Shutt 81; 237Keegan Shutt 76 Michael Wallace 80 Tariro November 81