Floris de Vries
Dutchman Floris de Vries, who graduated onto The European Tour through the 2010 Challenge Tour Rankings, has booked his place in The 140th Open Championship after coming through International Final Qualifying Africa.
The 21 year old will be joined at Royal St George’s by Martin Maritz and Neil Schietekat, who fired rounds of 67 and 66 respectively over the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to finish tied in second place on six under par.
De Vries signed for a four under par 68 in the second round to finish ten under overall. It caps a fine few months, during which time he finished fourth in the Challenge Tour Rankings having won the Mugello Tuscany Open.
“It feels really great,” he said. “I knew after yesterday that I could do it as I was playing really well, but it’s a great feeling and I can’t wait. I wish it was next week already.”
Maritz made up for his nightmare finish in last week’s Joburg Open, played at the same venue, where he closed with a six over par 77 having shot 62 in the first round. His qualification for a Major Championship also vindicates the decision he recently made to return to professional golf, having spent the past three years working in the USA.
“When I stopped playing full-time three years ago, there were two things I was a bit disappointed about. One was not winning a tournament and the other was not playing in a Major,” he said. “So this is just fantastic.”
Schietekat faced a tense moment in the closing stages of his round when he bogeyed the par three 16th hole but made amends on the 18th with a birdie.
“I woke up this morning and said to my dad that after playing the British Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s, it would be quite ironic if I played my first Major there,” he said. “So I just went out today and fired five-under and it went my way.
“I played this course every Tuesday and Thursday morning when I was an amateur and I have just got to know it really well so I look forward to playing it in competition every year.”
Overnight co-leader Justin Walters slipped out of contention with a three over par 74 in the second round.
