Top golfers struggle to ‘blow’ Southbroom away
The short layout proved to be surprisingly tricky for the top players.
IT took a little longer than he may have liked, but Malcolm Mitchell is finally the KwaZulu-Natal Amateur champion.
“This is the one I have wanted,” he said after his victory at Southbroom Golf Club last Sunday.
He’s only 22 but it seems like he has been around for a lot longer than his years suggest.
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Mitchell has been a member at Howick and Maritzburg Golf Club, but is now playing out of Kloof Country Club, under the watchful eye of coach Shaun Coetzee.
Coetzee, who caddied for Mitchell, is a former South Coaster, so it was a happy return to some of his old stomping grounds.
The final was a 36 hole affair which Mitchell won 8/7 against plucky 16-year-old Ryan van Velzen of Benoni Lake Country Club.
His immediate reaction was joy, followed by relief. “To be quite honest, I am quite tired, it’s mentally draining,” he said, glad it was all over quite quickly.
Southbroom played surprisingly tough over the week, with the south-westerly wind whipping through each day, bringing with it a small downpour at almost the exact time that Mitchell closed things out.
On the way to the final, Mitchell beat Thabiso Magwaza (Umhlali CC) 7/6, Dan Copeman (Steenberg GC) 4/3, Warwick Purchase (Ebotse GC) 1-up and Dawid Opperman (Pretoris CC) 6/5.
Purchase actually caddied for Van Velzen in the final. There aren’t too many who play faster than this ‘kid’.
He picks a club, has a quick look, and before you can blink, has fired off his shot.
Gavin Sole (Southbroom GC) made it to the quarter-finals but was beaten by Van Velzen.
It’s not often the Big Fish gets beaten by someone nearly three times younger than himself.
“Had a bad first four holes, no swing. That’s the way it goes,” he said.
Matthew Hands (Simbithi CC) caused the upset of the week, knocking out Albert Venter, a national cap, who led the qualifiers.
Hands got into the matchplay via a play-off, one in which he piped a chip shot, but still ended up winning.
Other KZN team players, Matt Saulez (Durban CC, Greg McKay and Siyanda Mwandla (both Mount Edgecombe CC), all got knocked out in the first round.
Jason Broomhead failed to make the matchplay, Derek Scullard didn’t play, and Clayton Mansfield is playing in a varsity tournament in the States.
The qualifying scores were not out of this world, considering the length (or lack of) at Southbroom.
However, with the south-westerly wind up, the opening holes were difficult, with the feared 3rd hole justifying it’s terrifying strokeplay reputation.
There were quite a few scores there in double digits, some as high as 11 and 13. Ouch.
* Phil Grant of Durban Country Club defended his seniors title, with a 4/3 win against Grant Lister-James, also Durban CC.
On the way he beat Richard Nel 3/1, Ronnie Nair 4/2 and Poenie Holm 4/2.
“Got lucky to win seniors again, course was tough and it was very windy,” he said.
If the tournament returns to the coast next year, he may fancy a holiday town three-peat.
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