Kennedy opens with six-under 67 at Fancourt
Max Kennedy splashes out of a bunker during the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup at Lahinch Golf Club. Pic. Brian Arthur
Max Kennedy put three successive missed cuts behind him when he opened with a six-under 67 in the Hotel Planner Tour’s NTT DATA Pro-Am at Fancourt.
The Royal Dublin man (23), birdied three of his first five holes, then sandwiched a birdie two at the eighth between birdies at the seventh and ninth to turn in two-under on The Links, which is one of three courses being used this week.
Royal Dublin's Max Kennedy reflects on a memorable 2024 and looks forward to 2025
He made no major mistakes on the back nine and added birdies at the 11th, 13th (par-five), 15th and 16th (par-five) to finish the weather-delayed opening day tied for fifth place.
He was just three strokes behind South Africa’s Jacques Blaauw, who beat the weather and the fading light to post an impressive nine-under-par 63 for the clubhouse lead on a difficult opening day.
Heavy rain forced a lengthy suspension of the first round of this Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned tournament and resulted in two restarts as the three golf courses— The Links, Montagu and Outeniqua— recovered from the downpour.
When an overcast first day drew to a close, Blaauw had just made it into the clubhouse with his bogey-free round on the Outeniqua.
He leads by two shots over Denmark’s Christoffer Bring, who signed for a 65. England’s Eddie Pepperell and South Africa’s JC Ritchie are also on seven under but still busy with their first rounds.
Clandeboye’s Jonathan Caldwell (40) made two birdies and a bogey in a one-under 71 on the Montagu Course to share 69th place with Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy, who had played nine holes at the same venue when play was suspended.
As for the leader, Blaauw was pleased with his 63 in the conditions.
“It was a tough morning with the weather and frustrating, but I’m happy that we could eventually get out there, and I was able to make a good score,” said the South African.
“It’s difficult because you’re hungry but don’t want to eat because your prep is normally different. It was a bit of a rollercoaster, but in the end it worked out. I could take advantage of the soft greens and make a few birdies. I was pretty good overall through my game.”
Meanwhile, Lauren Walsh followed two early birdies with two back nine bogeys to open with a level par 72 in the PIF Saudi Ladies International at Riyadh Golf Club.
She was tied for 58th, seven shots behind Korea’s Somi Lee, who shot 65 to lead by one stroke in damp conditions from Germany’s Esther Henseleit and England’s Annabell Fuller.
In the team competition, the Team Kyriacou quartet of Steph Kyriacou, Olivia Cowan, Sara Kouskova and Liz Young leads on 18-under-par.with Walsh’s Team Thitikul — formed by Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and Pornanong Phatlum and Germany’s Laura Fuenfstueck — three shots behind in a tie for fifth.
