Sweet ’17’ is the number at Kloof’s Champion of Champions
The tournament produced two new champions, both teenagers.
IN Sebastian Terblanche’s victory at the Renasa Champion of Champions at Kloof Country Club last weekend, there were shades of the Francis Ouimet and his historic showdown with British greats Harry Vardon and Ted Ray at the 1913 US Open.
In the event you don’t follow golf history much, Ouimet was the young amateur who produced a colossal upset by winning the tournament, against all odds, beating the two men regarded as the best two golfers in the world at the time.
What’s more, he did it in a playoff.
Terblanche (17) of Royal Durban Golf Club, was playing in his second Champion of Champions tournament.
He defeated Gavin Sole (Southbroom) and Derek Scullard (KwaMbonambi) in the playoff after all three had tied on 144.
Seriously, no one would have given the plucky youngster much hope against these two giants of the amateur game in the province.
To make matters apparently even more unlikely, Terblanche is small in stature but has the heart of a lion, as he showed.
Earlier in the day, he had finished with three birdies in the last six holes to post a number.
When Sole and Scullard came back to the field, the momentum had shifted.
In the playoff, defending champion Sole dropped out after the first hole with a bogey after finding a bunker.
Terblanche then clinched the win on the third extra hole with a two metre birdie putt on the tricky 3rd hole.
Home club favourite Brittney-Fay Berger (17) of Kloof CC put her matric studies on hold for the weekend and won the women’s title on 148.
That was pretty impressive considering she hasn’t played in two months. And considering it was her debut.
Runner-up was Elsuné Roode (Durban CC) on 163.
In a tie for third were Jane Mackenzie (Dundee), Sharyn Owen (Kloof CC) and Kim Strauss (Port Shepstone CC).
SENIORS
The 2017 KwaZulu-Natal Senior Spring Open, sponsored by The Golfers’ Club, played at Durban Country Club last week was won by Morgan Phillips of Maritzburg Golf Club.
He may have started in reverse with an opening 80, somewhat uncharacteristic of the super-consistent player.
However, scores weren’t great as conditions were tough and he was only five off the pace set by Richard Bruyns of The River Club.
On day two, with the weather much more conducive to good golf, Phillips showed his class with a 71 to catch Bruyns, who had 76, and then beat him on the first extra hole by making par to Bruyns’s bogey.
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Steve Cullen (Mount Edgecombe CC) was third on 77 and 76.
Kurt Stander (Durban CC) and Lance Mansfield (Durban CC) were the only other KZN players in the top 10.
Stander provided the biggest move on day two, with a 73 to offset the ribbing he endured after his first round 86. Mansfield was far steadier, with 80 and 79.
The Stableford division was won by Reg Bennett from Royal Harare on 71 points, followed by John Moore (Ebotse) on 69.
Rob Duncan (Mount Edgecombe CC) was third on 67 and Pradeep Ramowter (Central Durban) fourth on 63 points.
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