South African Stroke Play top five finishes for British duo
There was a birdie fest at Randpark Firethorn in the South African Stroke Play Championship where British duo Rory Franssen and Sam Bairstow claimed top five finishes today.
FORMAT: 72-hole stroke play
Scottish international Franssen (Auchterarder) was 15 under par for his final 36 holes on his way to third. The Inverness-born player closed with a 65 to finish four shots behind winner Jonathan Broomhead (Durban), who piled up 25 birdies and three eagles in compiling a 27 under par score. The South African was in contention last week until a final-round 75 cost him at Leopard Creek (African Amateur).
A shot behind Franssen in joint fourth was Bairstow, who was ninth last week.
TOP-TEN SAM (Bairstow’s elite-level performances in the last 12 months):
• Scottish Open: 6th
• St Andrew Links Trophy: 4th
• The Amateur: 5th
• The Open: 136th
• English Amateur: 3rd
• English Stokeplay: 1st
• South Beach Amateur (USA): 4th
• African Amateur: 9th
• South African Amateur: 4th
The Yorkshire left hander, who is close to moving into the top ten in World Amateur Golf Rankings on the back of a remarkably consistent run, was 14 under par for his closing 36 holes. That, despite a horrible shank on the par three eighth. He “got away with a good bogey” and went on to be five under par for his final ten holes. That included a superb eagle on 14.
Today the Hallowes star overcame the disappointment of a bogey on the par five second to notch eight birdies today and close on 22 under par.