Leopard Creek Times

DAILY NEWS ROUND 3 SATURDAY 3 DECEMBER 2016

Stone leads as SA stars align at Leopard Creek randon Stone eagled the “I woke up with a sore back And the former Masters B18th to edge out Charl and it hurt on the range champion is also feeling good Schwartzel at the top of the and throughout the round,” about his game. leaderboard going into the he said. “But it was a “I’ve had lots of chances weekend of the Alfred Dunhill successful day. I missed a few and that’s what I set out to Championship at Leopard opportunities but I also made do – to give myself chances. Creek. some good putts. I feel really Everything feels good.” After a great drive down comfortable on every hole It’s a strong South African 18, Stone took on the tough here.” leaderboard going into second shot into the island One shot behind him, the weekend, with George green and put his approach Schwartzel signed for a 68 Coetzee and Keith Horne well 15 feet from the hole, from and England’s Chris Hanson placed on nine under, and where he made the putt for a 65. former champion Branden eagle to take the lead on 11 “Hopefully we can have a Grace in a group on eight under with a 66. good weekend of competition under. He did so after a round in against each other,” Stone which he struggled with a said of his duel with sore back. Schwartzel.

@dunhilllinks #dunhillchamps 1 Q-School star Kimsey tees off career in SA

he Alfred Dunhill up on the range with stars will be a bit surreal first off. TChampionship has been of the European Tour, and But I have to get used to the start of some great the practice facilities do not that pretty quick as that will careers on the European Tour, come any better than here at happening every week this and European Tour Qualifying Leopard Creek with the new year. It’s good fun to be part School winner Nathan Kimsey 55 hectare range and 9-hole of these events. is hoping for the same. par 3 course. “The course itself is A fortnight ago Kimsey “This practice facility here is unbelievable. Take it away became only the second incredible. You could spend from its setting and it would player in history to navigate weeks here and not get still be awesome but with its through all 252 holes and bored. I saw Darren Clarke place on the edge of the park, three qualifying stages to win driving past in a buggy and some of the views on the the Final sure during the week when back nine like the one on the Stage. And one of the first I find myself next to some 13th, it is just phenomenal.” tasks is getting used to lining of the guys on the range it

2 @dunhilllinks #dunhillchamps Alfred Dunhill Championship Chip Shots

• The third round of the 2007 Alfred Dunhill • In 2012, produced the Championship yielded two holes-in-one. lowest ever tournament total of 24 under Dutch professional Joost Luiten aced the par to win by 12 strokes. par-three 12th hole, which was his first ace in a tournament. It was an incredible • Branden Grace is the only player to stroke of luck for Luiten, who made the have won both the Alfred Dunhill Links halfway cut right on the mark of two over Championship and the Alfred Dunhill par thanks to this hole-in-one. And that Championship. same year English professional Oliver Wilson scored a hole-in-one on the par- • Garth Mulroy’s triumph in the 2011 Alfred three 16th, winning himself 190 cases of Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Terra Del Capo wine. Then in 2012 there made him the 100th South African to win were three holes-in-one. South African in European Tour history. professional Keith Horne claimed two holes-in-one in successive days, acing the • With his victories in 2009 and 2010, par-three 12th twice and using the same Spain’s Pablo Martin became the first club – an eight iron. And in the final round back-to-back winner of the Alfred Dunhill that year, Magnus Carlsson aced the par- Championship. three 12th for the third ace in three days on this hole.

Branden Grace is the only player to have won both the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

@dunhilllinks #dunhillchamps 3 SAGDB’s Malalane stars showcased at Leopard Creek he South African Golf Creek on Friday. of the real success stories TDevelopment Board’s “These children are so in South African golf. “It all (SAGDB) Malalane chapter grateful for this facility. It has began here and the SAGDB joined a few of the made a big difference in their now has many such chapters professionals in this week’s lives,” said Samuel Lukhele, around the country with Alfred Dunhill Championship the development coach for passionate coaches making for a golf clinic at the new the Malalane Chapter. sure we not only produce practice facility at Leopard The Malalane Chapter is one great golfers, but better

4 @dunhilllinks #dunhillchamps people as well,” said this Malalane Chapter Grant Hepburn, the is such a success. Managing Director of From the Sunshine the SAGDB. Tour’s perspective, It’s a view echoed by it’s because we have Selwyn Nathan, the such good people and Executive Director of great structures in our the . golf that we can keep “The generous support producing such great of Mrs Rupert and champions.” her friends is why

@dunhilllinks #dunhillchamps 5 Bezuidenhout brushes off Par 3 “hoodoo” talk

here’s supposed to Tbe a hoodoo against players who win the Masters Par-3 Contest from winning the Masters itself. But Christiaan Bezuidenhout is not letting any Par 3 hoodoo bother him after he won the inaugural Par-3 Challenge at Leopard Creek. A 67 on Friday has moved him to seven-under- par and within striking distance of the lead going into the weekend. “I’m trying to break the hoodoo!” he laughed. “It’s the first time I’ve played in a Par-3 contest, so I don’t think about it really. I’m just trying to put the lowest score possible on the board. “I’m happy to be in this position going into the weekend, and I’d like to end the weekend strongly as well.”

6 @dunhilllinks #dunhillchamps Carlos Pigem. Players pay tribute to Pedro edro Ramseyer, former caddie for Seve PBallesteros among many others, sadly passed away in South Africa on the eve of the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Argentinian Ramseyer, 60, nicknamed “Pin High”, caddied for the best including the legendary Ballesteros and was due to caddie for another Spaniard Carlos Pigem at Leopard Creek Country Club this week. Players and caddies paid tribute with the wearing of black ribbons during Friday’s second round while Pigem is paying his own personal tribute with a stellar performance at Leopard Creek that puts him at seven under and within sight of the leaders going into the weekend. “I will try my best to have a good tournament and give him a victory or the best I can in this tournament. I can only say good things about him as he always had a smile on his face,” said Pigem.

@dunhilllinks #dunhillchamps 7 @dunhilllinks #dunhillchamps