Tembisa Golf Club champion crowned despite bad weather
For his win, he received the championship trophy and an exclusive prize
Jerry Mosia was crowned the 2018 Tembisa Golf Championship (TGC) champion at the Kempton Park Country Club on May 6.
The club’s secretary, Benjamin Monyanyedi, said on May 1 the executive committee decided that the championship would be completed on May 6 as lightning started striking on the day and players had to be stopped.
“There were two four-balls remaining, which means eight golfers still had to play two more holes to finish their second rounds.
“The majority of the players on the field had completed their rounds. It was the final pairings of the A-division leaders that included George Mokela, Jerry Mosia, William Joko and Joe Ngoma who were still on the fairway battling it out for the most coveted prize on offer for the club in 2018 – the club champion,” said Monyanyedi.
He added that the executive decision to have the last two holes completed on May 6 and to postpone the prize-giving ceremony was most welcomed by all participants.
Monyanyedi said when the game was adjourned on Tuesday, it appeared Mosia was slightly in the driving seat as Ngoma, Mokela and Joko were neck and neck, hoping to wrestle Mosia off the top spot at the 18th hole.
“The leading golfers on Tuesday who potentially could have clinched the championship included three-time club champion Francis Tsotetsi, 2016 champion Jerry Mosia, ever-threatening Ebuhleni campaigner George Mokela, veteran golfer Joe Ngoma and veteran journeyman William Joko,” Monyanyedi explained.
He said all those players had all produced sub 78 gross rounds on Tuesday and were on course to being crowned champion of the club.
According to Monyanyedi, Themba Nxumalo had the B-division honours in sight as he lead by a whopping six shots and seemed to have the arsenal to change the stakes.
“Nxumalo went on to win the B-division for 2018.
“Mosia and Ngoma battled it out on May 6 when play resumed as they teed off on the final 36th hole, which is a par four. Mosia nonchalantly parred the hole with Ngoma, dropping a shot and ending up losing the championship to Mosia by three shots,” said Monyanyedi.
Mosia is now the golf king of the Tembisa township, the best golfer for the 2018 calendar and the man to be saluted each time he arrives to play at any golf event hosted by the Tembisa Golf Club.
For his win, he received the championship trophy and an exclusive prize.
“The win is very much coveted. TheTembisa Golf Club championship is an event that produces special sportsmen and it is never likely that just anyone wins it.
“It is always a certain pedigree of golfers who triumph as the pressure that comes with it is enormous,” said three-time former champion Tsotetsi.
Monyanyedi confirmed Tsotetsi’s statement saying considering the list of past winners such as Phumulani Maluka who is now playing professional, Tsotetsi who has won many inter-club games for Tembisa, the late Joe Makati who was such an exemplary golfer on and off the fairway and Jeff Mnisi who went on to win the Kempton Park Country Club Championship in the same year he became Tembisa Golf Club’s champion.
“The rain delayed the championship but it proved yet another success story of the popularity of this major event and TGC is indebted to all who made it possible through their sponsorship,” said Monyanyedi.
