Fourways golfer wins in Polokwane
FOURWAYS - Less than nine months since he won the Nomads SA Boys U17 Stroke Play at Polokwane Golf Club, 17-year-old Dylan Naidoo from Fourways claimed a seven stroke victory in the Nomads SA Boys U19 Stroke Play Championship at the same venue.
The central Gauteng junior carded a final round of 69 to triumph on 15-under-par 273, while defending champion Tristen Strydom finished a distant second after closing with a 75.
Naidoo began the third round three strokes off the pace, but overhauled overnight leaders Marco Steyn and Jovan Rebula with a flawless seven-under-par 67.
The TuksSport Golf Academy player finished one stroke ahead of his playing partner Strydom, after the Ekurhuleni amateur also signed for a 65.
Naidoo lipped out for bogey at the par-four first and Strydom walked away with an eight on his card after gumming his second shot over the green into the hazard.
Strydom added to his woes by dropping another shot at the second and Naidoo found himself leading by five with 16 holes to play.
“I almost couldn’t get my head around it,” Naidoo said. “I had a one shot lead and suddenly I’m five shots ahead. I don’t know why I ended up three-putting from 10-feet for bogey at the third, but I steadied the ship with a couple of pars and then the putts started dropping again.”
Naidoo birdied seven, nine and 10 and notched three more gains at 12, 14 and 15. Strydom rallied with birdies at the fourth, fifth and seventh, but bogeys at 11 and 17 against a lone birdie at the par-five 12th derailed his title challenge.
Naidoo paid tribute to Strydom, saying that playing with the country’s number one amateur for 36 holes was both challenging and inspiring.
“It was absolutely fantastic playing with Tristen and I don’t think the results are a fair reflection, because we were neck-in-neck all day,” Naidoo said.
“He is an incredible fighter and we definitely fed off each other. Every time I made a birdie, he would answer with a birdie and vice versa. I only began to relax a little with four holes left to play.”
Naidoo will face Attie van Wyk in the first round of the Match Play Championship after the Free State junior defeated Central’s Karabo Mokoena at the first extra hole of a sudden-death play-off to claim the 32nd spot.
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