Golfer Jason Gilliver ‘hairs’ up the rankings after win in Northern KZN
The big-hitter youngster is gaining the attention of the provincial selectors.
Jason Gilliver’s purple patch, since returning from a visit to family friend Tim Clark in the United States last year, has continued in some style.
The Selborne Park player won the Farmers AgriCare Northern KwaZulu-Natal Open played at Dundee Country Club in a three-hole playoff last Sunday.
This means that, in his last three starts, he has gone 1-2-1. He won the Maritzburg Open in October, finished second by a shot to Jason Broomhead at the Southern KZN Open in November and has now added this title to his name.
ALSO READ: Broomhead sweeps to victory at Battle of Umdoni
Maybe it has something to do with the tremendous amount of hair he has growing on his head at the moment.
It could be argued that it’s keeping the adventurous youngster well grounded.
Whatever the case, he kept his cool in the playoff against Koenie Erasmus (Umhlali CC) and Mlamuli ‘Elvis’ Sithebe (Newcastle GC), also known as ‘Slender’.
Gilliver shot 73 and 72 in regulation play, before sealing the deal in the playoff.
“Regulation golf was decent, I hit a lot greens,” he said. “My putting wasn’t great, leaving a lot of putts short.”
However, he ground out the pars and kept mistakes to a minimum. A few crucial up-and-downs helped him keep the scorecard clean.
His only real drama was on the 8th. “Failed to get out of the kitty litter and took a double,” he said.
In the playoff Erasmus took himself out when he flew the second green with a wedge for his approach.
One hole later Sithebe saw his ball get stuck in a tree and it was all over… Gilliver was champion.
On a lighter note, he thanked his father/caddy Pete for his sound advice during the round.
“He told me to miss the big tree on the 17th in the afternoon. I did that, missing it 50m to the right … but still made birdie!” he said.
ALSO READ: Tips from Tim Clark help Jason Gilliver take his golf to next level
James Mott (Newcastle GC) was fourth on 146, with Graham Fabricius (Port Shepstone CC) in fifth on 147.
There were two players on 148, namely Ryan Welsh (Cato Ridge) and Ryno Crous (Vryheid).
Luke Truter (Victoria CC) and past champion Corné van Deventer were tied for eighth on 149.
* Meanwhile, the country’s top players battled it out at Bloemfontein Golf Club for the Free State Open title.
This was won by home town favourite Wilco Nienaber in a three-hole playoff against Garrick Higgo (De Zalze GC).
Both players finished on -22 for the four rounds.
Best of the KwaZulu-Natal players was Clayton Mansfield (Durban Country Club) who tied for eighth on -7.
Gregory McKay (Mount Edgecombe CC) was tied for 14th on -3, with Luke Mayo (Mount Edgecombe CC) squeezing in to the top 20 on level par.
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