Ryan edges clear at IGT Q-School ERPM warm-up

Ryan edges clear at IGT Q-School ERPM warm-up

(Photo – Tyrone Ryan; credit CJ du Plooy)

JOHANNESBURG, 6 January 2014 – Bryanston’s Tyrone Ryan stockpiled seven birdies and an eagle in first-rate performance to take the lead on the opening day of the IGT Tour’s season opener at a sun-soaked ERPM on Monday.

A wayward tee shot at the 18^th resulted in the only blemish on his card, but not even the errant bogey could dampen Ryan’s spirits as he signed for an eight-under-par 64.

After the festive season break, this was exactly the start the pro was chasing in the IGT Tour’s first Sunshine Q-School prep event at the Ekurhuleni golf club.

“Q-School is just a few weeks away, so this was precisely the kind of start I was looking for,” Ryan said. “I didn’t struggle to get the rust off at all; all the shots just worked well. I only hit one or two ordinary shots and anytime I was out of position, I managed to recover. I never felt that I had to put myself under undue pressure.

“At the 18^th, I hooked my tee shot slightly and I was dead behind a tree; I only had one option, to punch it out and take my punishment. If that was the worst I could do with Q-School looming, I’d take it any day.”

Ryan has a slender one shot cushion on familiar foes, Coert Groenewald and Otto van Greunen, who both returned flawless 65s.

In September, Ryab beat Van Greunen in a play-off for his second IGT Tour title in the Race to Q-School in State Mines and a month later, edged out Groenewald for sole second in the Q-School series at Wingate after being leapfrogged for victory by fellow Sunshine Tour professional, Robbie Lupini.

Ryan said knowing both players are in his rear-view mirror is an added incentive.

“I didn’t play the full IGT Tour this season, but Coert and Otto competed in a lot of events and they finished the season ranked second and third,” Ryan said.

“They also both made the top 12 in the IGT Tour Race to Q-School and qualified to have their Q-School fees covered by the IGT Tour. I know them both as tough adversaries, but you can only control your own game on the day.

“I will definitely have a target on my back, but it’s pointless to worry about your opponents. I would rather use that energy to put more into my own performance.”

Ryan, who joined in pro ranks in 2010, enjoyed a reasonable rookie season and had an even better time of things in 2012.

But the 24-year-old endured a hit-and-miss campaign in 2013, hence the return trip to Qualifying School.

“I was fearless in my rookie season, but I just struggled to make cuts last year,” he said. “I learned a lot about handling pressure and disappointment in the past year, both on the Sunshine Tour and IGT Tour. I feel more prepared. I’ve put the 2013 season behind me and I’m just focussing on the future right now.”

FIRST ROUND SCORES

All competitors RSA unless otherwise specified; Amateurs indicated as (AM):

64 – Tyrone Ryan

65 – Coert Groenewald, Otto van Greunen

66 – Gideon Pienaar, Pieter Kruger

67 – CJ du Plessis, Naithen Moore (AM), David Riddle

68 – Ted Hendriks, Brendan De Lange, Callum Mowat (AM), Rhys West, Wayne Stroebel, Lean Boezaart, Rae Mackie, Ryan Clarke

69 – Nobuhle Dlamini, Frans Strydom

70 – Werner Ferreira (AM), Jaco Prinsloo, Andi Dill (AM), Hyun Park, Marco Scarola (AM)

71 – Carrie Park (AM), Juan Langeveld, Dongkwan Kim, Graeme Vrugtman (AM), Yngve Nilsson

72 – Jerry Steyn, Jason Roets (AM), Matt Bright (AM), Niel Meyer (AM), Morne Wolmarans (AM), Brett Liddle, Dwayne Coetzee, Robert Herselman (AM), Raymond Mathonsi, Peter Wilson

73 – Christiaan Pretorius, Sarel Van der Walt, Ryan Gosling, Maritz Wessels, Graham van den Berg (AM), Chris Van Tonder (AM)

74 – Herman Minnie, Tertius Van Den Berg (AM), Jaco Mouton, Jacques de Villiers

75 – Julian de Wet (AM), Mark Bright, Roberto Lupini, Johan de Beer, Danie Pretorius, Johan Theron

76 – Eduard Van Den Berg (AM), Lourens Du Plessis (AM), JC van Dommelen

77 – Gareth Akers (AM), NJ Arnoldi (AM), Bryce McCabe (AM), Justin Thomas (AM), Jeandre Fourie

78 – David Lamprecht (AM), Joubert Van Eeden (AM), Kevin Smith (AM), Alwyn Vorster

79 – Chris Ha Yeung (AM), Pierre Viviers, Slade Fick (AM), Iliska Verwey, Fouche Botha (AM)

80 – Wade Viljoen (AM), Peter Evans, Marcel Capaul

81 – Dylan de Beer, Rhoan Gardiner

82 – Craig Dreyer, Bryandrew Roelofsz

84 – Mike Downes