Latest News June 2010

1. Kelli Shean qualifies for US Open
Kelli Shean, former member of the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation (EEFF), has qualified to play in the 2010 US Women's Open Championship at Oakmont in July, coincidentally also the venue for Ernie's first US Open victory in 1994. Kelli, who has also just been named to the 2010 National Coaches Association All-American second team, won her US Women's Open qualifying tournament in St Louis, one of eight qualifying tournaments held around America.

Studying at the University of Arkansas, Kelli has played consistently well this year, finishing in the top 10 for the season in the All-Southeastern Conference. And to cap it all off, she has been selected to represent her native South Africa in the World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina in October.

At the same time, a South African women's squad was announced to attend three training camps during the year and this included former Ernie Els & Fancourt member Tanica van As, as well as current member Izel Pieters.

2. Drikus will represent SA juniors in Japan
The EEFF is very proud of Drikus Bruyns who will represent South Africa at the World Teams Junior Golf Championship in Japan. The team will depart for Japan in June. Drikus was crowned as the EEFF Champion for 2010 when he won the tournament at the Ernie Els Design Gardener & Ross course in May with scores of 73, 72 for 145 (1 over par).

The full SA team is: Brandon Stone (Gauteng North), Drikus Bruyns (Boland, EEFF), Luke Jerling (Eastern Province), Haydn Porteous (Central Gauteng). Ann Rycraft, national president of the SAJGF, will travel with the team.

Drikus also played well in three SAJFG National Order of Merit tournaments. Drikus finished second at Goldfields GC (North West) and then lost in the final of the SA Boys at Nelspruit after a top-10 finish in the strokeplay section. He followed that up with a joint 5th place in the KZN tournament at Kloof in April.

Drikus is currently the EEFF's top ranked player, second on the latest u.18 National Order of Merit. Other members of the EEFF were well represented on the leader board at Goldfields by finishing 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th.

3. Kelly Erasmus wins top junior tournament
Kelly Erasmus made the EEFF proud by winning one of the top two junior tournaments for girls in South Africa. Kelly took the honours in the SAJGF's u.16 tournament in Robertson in January, winning the title by two shots by holing a five-meter putt on the last green for birdie (75, 76, 79 and 77). The tournament was played in extremely hot conditions with temperatures reaching 40 degrees. Extremely well done, Kelly.

4. Izel Pieters follows up with another great win
Izel Pieters made it a double for the EEFF by winning the second top junior tournament for girls, the SA Girls Rose Bowl u.18 tournament in Durban. Izel had to work hard for her victory at Kloof Country Club. She took the title after a play-off against Bonita Bredenhann with scores of 70, 74 and 73. Izel was also crowned as the EEFF Champion for 2010 when she won the tournament at Gardener & Ross in May with scores of 72, 75 for 147 (3 over par). Many congratulations to Izel.

5. Close encounter at SAJGF for Conway Kunneke
Conway Kunneke performed extremely well in one of the SAJGF National Order of Merit tournaments, eventually losing in a playoff to Teaghan Gauche at Pollok Park (Eastern Gauteng). Conway is currently ranked third in the National Order of Merit.

6. Incredible sixth hole-in-one for prolific ‘acer' Leorin
Leorin Pillay recorded his sixth hole-in-one in the KZN junior tournament held at Royal Durban in January, an incredible achievement that will surely make all those searching for their first ace quite green with envy. Leorin, who is one of the top juniors in KZN, dominated the junior tournaments in January by winning the first three tournaments and is ranked 21st in the National Order of Merit.

Leorin's impressive record of holes-in-one is as follows:

2 x Mount Edgecombe
1 x Kloof CC
1 x Royal Durban
2 x Umdoni Park

7. Shaun Smith receives Victor Ladorum Award
Some members of the EEFF are also proving themselves to be extremely talented athletes away from the golf course. Shaun Smith (left) who is the head boy at Glenwood House in George received the Victor Ladorum trophy with victories in the 100m, 200m and long jump.

8. Marco das Neves receives Victor Ladorum Award
Meanwhile, Marco das Neves from Kriel High School also received the Victor Ladorum trophy for his school courtesy of gold medals for high jump, discus, javelin and shot put. There were many other notable achievements, also.

- Conway Kunneke: Selected for the Gauteng North u.23 team
- Devon Thomas: Selected as RCL leader at school. Won WPJGF Helderberg Open
- Ian Snyman: Selected to represent WP u.16
- Izel Pieters: Won the SA Girls u.18 Rose Bowl at Kloof
- Kelly Erasmus: Won the SAJGF Girls u.16 in Robertson. Won Durbanville Ladies Club Championship
- Kim Daniels: Winner of Girl's Division, Fish River Sun Challenge. EP Junior of the Year
- Leorin Pillay: Won KZNJGF Royal Durban. Won KZNJGF Kloof CC. Won KZNJGF Tim Clark tournament
- Marco das Neves: Senior Victor Ludorum at Kriel High -gold medals for high jump, discus, javelin and shot put. Broke the u/16 records in shot put and discus. Received merit, average above 80 per cent at school. Top 10 scholars in grade 9. Excelled at discus and high jump, selected for the Mpumalanga regional trials
- Nqaba Mata: Selected for the B League team at Humewood GC
- Xaba Mojalefa : Runner up at the FSNC Kroonstad tournament. Selected for SAGDB team to play against Scotland
- Nicolaih Burger: Selected as No.1 player for Malmesbury High School league team
- Riaan Beukes: Selected for WP u.14 at the Fish River Sun Challenge
- Sello Leboko: Selected for Free State u.18 team
- Shaun Smith: Head Boy - Glenwood House College. Senior Victor Ludorum. Won the u.19 discus, long jump, 100m, 200m and came 2nd in javelin
- Sylvia Masango: Special academic awards from Woodhill College. Player of the Season. League Pool winners. Winner of Woodhill College Golf Champs. Runner up in Woodhill Country Club Champs. Athletics - winner and new record in javelin and 3rd in discus
- Zayb Kippie: Selected for WP senior squad as a phantom member
-Helgardt Mulller - winner of the Southern Cape monthly tournament

9. Severe case of slow play is spotted at Royal Port Alfred
Royal Port Alfred Golf Club is more than just a golf course. Like so many other golf courses in SA this links golf course with its spectacular views over the Indian Ocean is also home to a number of buck, birds and very big tortoises. Shuan Smith, one of our members, was very lucky when he hit his ball into the thick rough and it came out of the bush on the back of a tortoise during play at the EP/Border Championship.

No, no!!!! Shaun did not play the ball from the back of the tortoise. We staged the photo. The tortoise was on the tee box enjoying the soft grass while Shaun and his fellow competitors were hitting their tee shots on the 18th hole.

This mountain tortoise is between 30-35 years old. It lays an average of 15 eggs, which take between 8 to 14 months to hatch. Corrie van Zyl, a member at Royal Port Alfred, started a project to the right of the first fairway where he protects the baby tortoises and once they are older and stronger he lets them free.