PHOTOS AND RESULTS: Prestige in play at national Pro-Am

Going into the PGA of SA Mbombela Golf Club National Pro-Am this past week, Ivano Ficalbi was always going to be the man to beat.

The event, a first for Mbombela, attracted both professionals and amateurs from across the country with the appeal being obvious – pride, prestige and honour of representing their club in a nationwide tournament.

Local PGA professional, Dalton Viviers from White River Country Club, in a four-ball alliance partnered with Randal Pillay, Mandla Mkhabela and John Robson, took the spoils after 54 holes, bagging 243 points in total. In the first round on Monday they scored 82 points, which gradually decreased by one point each day. It was, however, enough to edge out pro Kenneth Dube and his team of amateurs; Christo Broodryk, Christy Raper and Louis Fourie, who ended on 241. This after a score of 81 on day one and 80 on each of the following days.

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In the professional scores, calculated in an individual Stableford format, Viviers ended in seventh place.

He fared well on the first two days, playing two over par on each day. He said the nerves probably got to him and on day three, he played seven shots over par in the first nine, but recovered at the halfway mark to achieve a one over par second nine.

In hindsight, if he had maintained his score from the first two days, he could have shared fifth place with Ben Fouchee. Fouchee and his team of Herman Potgieter, Nardus Gouws and Sean Middleton ended in third with 238.

In more or less the same boat as Viviers was PGA Pro and CEO of Mbombela Golf Club, Darren Plumb, whose second day set him back at least five points – earning him sixth place in the individual Stableford.

His four-ball alliance team, with Hannes Boshoff, Jacobus Lombard and Angelo Sebastian, ended in fifth with 236 points.

In fourth place were Ivano Ficalbi, Brian Springorum. Johan Janse van Rensburg and and Dawie Smuts.

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Since day one, PGA members found themselves chasing down “Boss Man” Ficalbi.

Ficalbi, PGA of South Africa chief executive, hence the nickname, topped the list with superb tee-to-green accuracy. His diligence shone through every time he set foot on the green. This resulted in a first round of four under par, a second of one under and a third of +2 – totalling a combined score of 111 – four shots ahead of Dube and six ahead of Tyrone Lorusso.

“We are privileged that Mbombela was chosen as the desired destination by the PGA,” said Plumb. He also extended his gratitude towards the main sponsors Standard Bank South Africa, NKP Consultants and Vodacom in conjunction with Johnnie Walker, AHEAD Golf South Africa and Titleist South Africa.

Plumb looks forward to hosting the same event next year. Here is the full results