Benoni Country Club win keeps Schaper top of the national junior ranking pile
The Benoni golf prodigy has started his year with a bang.
Ebotse Links junior and Morehill resident Jayden Schaper cemented his number one spot in the GolfRSA junior rankings with a two-shot victory in the Nomads National Order of Merit Inland tournament on January 8.
Schaper overhauled overnight leader Yurav Premlall with a brilliant four-under-par 68 at Benoni Country Club to triumph on 11-under-par 205.
The Ebotse talent started the final round three shots behind Premlall, who led the field after rounds of 69 and 65 and was targeting successive victories after his triumph last Friday in the season-opening Nomads National Order of Merit Coastal at Umhlali Country Club.
Premlall made a birdie start, which Schaper answered with a gain of his own, but his lead increased to four shots after a Schaper bogey at the second.
The gap was back to three shots after the leader dropped shots at five and six and while Premlall and the rest of the field struggled to find rhythm and momentum, Schaper made a big move with three birdies on the bounce from the ninth hole.
He bogeyed 12, but when Premlall dropped another shot at the short 15th, Schaper swung the tournament into his favour, making the most of the drivable par-four 16th.
After a good tee shot, he chipped it to give and tapped in for birdie and a one-shot lead.
A closing birdie at the par-five 18th earned him a two-shot victory.
South Africa’s top ranked junior made South African golfing history in 2017 when he became the first player to win all four Nomads SA Boys titles, but the winner’s circle proved elusive in 2018 until he edged out Cole Stevens in the Nomads North and South Junior in August last year.
A tie for second in the Joburg Junior Open in early December signalled a return to form and just a week later, 17-year-old Schaper led Ekurhuleni to successive victories in the SA u-19 Inter-Provincial Tournament.
That earned him the top spot alongside Christo Lamprecht on the Most Valued Player’s list.
Schaper was delighted to start the 2019 season on a winning note.
The GolfRSA national squad player has set himself some lofty goals for the season.
“My goals for 2019 are to keep my number one ranking and win some junior events, so that’s one down already,” Schaper said.
“I would also like to improve my open amateur ranking and get to number one or two this year.
“I gained a lot of experience during the GolfRSA national squad Tour last year, and I’d love to make the group chosen for the United Kingdom again.
“One of my goals is to play the Amateur Championship, now that I have a bit of experience from last year.
“My biggest goal is to qualify for the international team again for the Junior Presidents Cup by the end of the season.”
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