Jayden Trey

Schaper

The 19-year-old South African spends his days on the Sunshine Tour but he’s taken advantage of the European Tour opportunities when they arise. Schaper tossed together a T6 at the South African Open earlier this year and also finished T18 last week at the Joburg Open. Today’s 75 was, unfortunately, a shot worse than the field average today but overall he’s proving his game belongs on the big stage and he’s doing it the sustainable way, the tee-to-green route. Gamers should be heavily invested in Schaper from a long-term standpoint and be willing to give him a look whenever he earns any more European Tour starts.

The 19-year-old South African has shown a complete package this week. He currently ranks 2nd in the field in strokes gained tee-to-green (+4.02) while also gaining 1.16 strokes putting. Today he was failing to find any magic with 13 pars and one birdie before blitzing the final fours with an eagle, par, and two birdies. If he finds himself in the hunt tomorrow afternoon then he’ll be glad to see that final stretch. “Throughout the tournament I’ve been playing the last four holes pretty solid. From the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th I really enjoy them. They kind of suit my shape. I love coming down the stretch knowing that I can possibly birdie them. The 16th’s a pretty tough hole, the 17th also can play a really tough hole.” Schaper has played the last four holes at 8-under on the week so far. The youngster is currently spending his time on the Sunshine Tour, ranking 11th on the money list this season, but it seems it’s just a matter of time before he makes the jump up to the European Tour. A big finish tomorrow could accelerate that jump.

The 18-year-old has limited experience in the professional ranks, but he was T26 in the Challenge Tour’s ISPS HANDA World Invitational in Northern Ireland last August and T42 in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Creditable efforts and now he is impressing at Randpark GC in Johannesburg. This Friday lap was a day of two halves. He made one birdie (at the sixth) going out alongside two bogeys (at the seventh and eighth). On the way home, however, it was all one way traffic. He ticked the 11th and 12th before going one better with a hat-trick of birdies at the 14th, 15th and 16th. When the South African signed his card late in the day he was just one shot behind the clubhouse leader Tapio Pulkkanen.