Birdie blitz powers Sundelson into last eight at SA Amateur

Five birdies on the front nine on Wednesday powered Judd Sundelson to a commanding 5&1 victory over Dian Kruger in the round of 16 of the South African Amateur Championship at Pretoria Country Club.

Houghton Golf Club’s Sundelson completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Nottingham and is currently studying for his Masters at the University of St Andrews - with support from The R&A.

He reeled off four consecutive birdies from the third hole to break Kruger’s resistance. Another birdie on the ninth hole piled on the pressure, and a run of steady pars through to the 14th was enough to seal his place in the quarterfinals.

Sundelson won the 2025 R&A Student Tour Series Order of Merit and has competed on the GolfRSA UK Squad Tour over the past two years. He is also a member of the GolfRSA National Squad.

He arrived at Pretoria Country Club in fine form, having won the Free State Open a week ago. Rounds of 67-67-70-70 earned him a share of the lead at Heron Banks Golf Club before he went on to claim victory in the play-off.

#NewsFlash
Houghton Golf Club’s Judd Sundelson powered into the 2026 #SAAmateur quarters with a dominant 5&1 win in the top 16, thanks to a blistering front nine at Pretoria Country Club 🔽https://t.co/rbMLkvPcIp — GolfRSA (@GolfRSA) January 28, 2026

Golf runs deep in the Sundelson family. His grandfather, Neville Sundelson, was one of South Africa’s leading amateurs during a golden era of the sport and a highly respected coach. In fact, when Sundelson won the 2021 Houghton Club Championship, his father Barry finished second and his uncle Dean third.

That pedigree showed as Sundelson recorded the joint-largest margin of victory in the round of 16, matched by Germany’s Morris Schiefner, who beat Jayden Jacobs 5&4.

Also progressing to the quarterfinals were England’s Ethan Roos, Minjun Heo, Ryan Melville, Ivan Verster, Schalk van Ettinger and Jonathan Wilsenach.

Wilsenach edged through with the narrowest win of the round, defeating Oliver Scriven on the 19th hole. Roos beat CJ van Wyk 2&1, Heo eliminated Luxembourg’s Lenny Mines 3&1, Verster dominated Wiehan van der Walt 4&3, and Van Ettinger defeated Syan Ramchander 4&2.

The match of the day came in an all-family affair, as Melville beat his older brother 2&1. A birdie on the 17th hole proved decisive for 17-year-old Ryan, against Dylan, the elder by four years.

Earlier in the championship, Sundelson had defeated Vuyisani Makama 2&1 in the round of 32 to book his place in the last 16.

Wiehan van der Walt had looked the most imposing player in the round of 32, recording an emphatic 8&6 win over Storm du Toit. Ryan Melville advanced with a 3&1 victory over Ethan Govender, while his brother Dylan needed 19 holes to see off Pieter Coetzee.