Tuesday, 21st August 2007 at 5:40 pm

The Links at Fancourt bares its teeth

Feverpitcher is spending a couple of arduous days at Fancourt, catching up with the country’s top aspiring golfers at the latest round in the Vodacom Origins of Golf series, the country’s top pro-am event that brings 60 amateurs alongside 60 of the Sunshine Tour pros. All of whom are set to struggle this week…

The Links is a genuinely intimidating course, having brought the world’s best golfers to heel in the 2003 Presidents Cup. In 2005 the Origins tournament had a Sunshine Tour record cut of 17-over-par (we’re not making this up), and on Tuesday, in the qualifying event, Fancourt’s marquee course gave a firm reminder that golfers take to it at their own peril.

Best of the day in qualifying was a one-over-par 74 Ben Janse van Rensburg; spare a thought for one Hilton Appel, who limped home with 103 shots to his name, including a ten on the par-five 13th. Appel has 18 years experience on Tour; on Wednesday, 60 amateurs are expected to take on the same layout. Things could get very ugly indeed at The Links at Fancourt this week; having been mercilessly destroyed by the same course on several occasions ourselves, Feverpitcher will be watching gleefully…