Vryheid golfer misses PGA Champs win by a single stroke

COMBRINCK Smit first picked up a golf club at the age of nine, and has been improving his swing every day since.

Just like superstars Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, who started swinging clubs as toddlers, this 24-year-old former Pioneer learner and member of the Vryheid Gold Club, could be destined for golfing greatness.

Shortly after qualifying with a BCom in Marketing Management, Combrinck succumbed to the tantalising lure of the lush green fairways and began his career as a professional golfer in March.

ALSO READ: A tough race for Vryheid MTB

AND: Jack and Jill enjoy AbaQulusi’s beautiful bushveld

He played his first Eye of Africa PGA Championship two weeks ago and was defeated by Chilean, Matias Calderon, by a single stroke during the Sunshine Tour.

“Our scores were equal until the last hole, when he made a birdie and I made par,” said Combrinck, who said he would have loved to have won, but was happy with his performance nonetheless. “I was a bit nervous as it was the first time I played in a PGA Championship, but the experience was awesome. I played some awesome golf and I really learned a lot.”

This week, Combrinck is participating in the Cape Town Open.

Still a Zululander at heart, Conbrinck was born in Richards Bay and lived in Eshowe, attending Pioneer High School, where he matriculated in 2012. He began playing golf after receiving golf clubs as a gift from his father and has played league for Vryheid Golf Club and for Northern Natal.

“Before I received my first golf clubs, nobody in my family had played golf. I swung the clubs around a few times and each time, I got better. After that, my dad and I started playing as much as we could. At first, we just played for fun, then we started playing competitively. I realised I wanted to play professionally after school,” said Combrinck.

“Now, I make sure I get plenty of practice every day, waking up at 7am and clipping, putting or just hitting balls till I get better… And I just love it,” he concluded.

Besides golf, Combrinck also enjoys fishing and relaxing with friends in his spare time. His sports hero, surprisingly, is not one of the golf superstars mentioned earlier. Combrinck proclaims that he has the greatest admiration for Swiss professional tennis player, Roger Federer, who is currently ranked number one in the world.

Member of the Vryheid Golf Club and former Club Captain, Corné van Deventer, commended Combrinck on his excellent performance in his first year as a professional golfer.

“Now, he needs the win,” said Mr Van Deventer. “He has done very well so far and we are proud of him. There are two more tournaments before the end of the year and he just needs a win under his belt to boost his career.”