Amateur Christiaan Maas stormed into the main draw of the South African Open Championship on Tuesday as he fired an eight-under-par 64 at ERPM Golf Club to card the best round of the 12 players who qualified at three events around Johannesburg.

With an eagle, seven birdies and a bogey on his card, Maas put his recent form to good use as he outscored English Sunshine Tour professional Chris Cannon by two shots.

Since late September, Maas racked up four titles in as many weeks – two victories against the professionals on the IGT Challenge Tour, a play-off triumph on the new Bushveld Tour and a win on the popular Bridge Fund Managers Junior Series.

He was one of three amateurs who punched their ticket into the second oldest national open championship in world golf which is being played from Thursday at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City. The other two were Jordan Duminy and Massimo Mbetse, who each carded two-under-par 70s at Modderfontein Golf Club.

Sunshine Tour professional Teaghan Gauche led the qualifiers from Killarney Golf Club with a six-under-par 64, two strokes ahead of Clinton Grobler.

The qualifiers are:

ERPM: Christiaan Maas (a) -8; Chris Cannon (ENG) -6; Leon Vorster -5; Leon Visser -4

Killarney: Teaghan Gauche -6; Clinton Grobler -4; Dylan Mostert -3; Romano Saincic -2

Modderfontein: Jordan Duminy (a) -2; Tristen Strydom -2; Luke Brown -2; Massimo Mbetse (a) -2