Stone leads South African Match Play

PARYS (27 February 2011) – It is said that putting most reveals a golfer’s state of mind and on a balmy day at Vaal de Grace on Sunday, teenager Brandon Stone was a picture of mental calmness as he putted superbly for a two-stroke lead in the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship qualifier. The country’s number one amateur opened with an eight-under-par 64 to lead the first round the 36-hole Stroke Play qualifier by two strokes. Scotland’s Kris Nicol and Ermelo’s NJ Arnoldi both produced loops of 33 to share second, while Scott Vincent, Nathan Waghorn, Graham van der Merwe and Richard Crawshay-Hall share joint fourth on five-under-par 67. Recent SA Stroke Play winner Jared Harvey managed a four-under-par 68 to tie for eighth, while runner-up David Law carded a 69 and Scotland’s number one, Michael Stewart signed off on an even-par 72.