Bitter pill to swallow for Woollam … but there’s a silver lining

Chris Woollam (18) can take some consolation in that while his name is not on the SA Amateur matchplay trophy, he is at least in some illustrious company.

Woollam had a golden opportunity to create some sensational history at Durban Country Club last Friday.

With less than nine holes to go, he had a three hole lead over Deon Germishuys of Strand Golf Club.

This from a player ranked who was ranked 141st in the country at the time and who has yet to win a KwaZulu-Natal Golf Union tournament.

Might have been a rude to go and win a national one, then?

Jokes aside, Woollam just couldn’t quite hold on and lost on the third extra hole.

And to be fair, he has won a few junior events in the province, and he did lead the qualifiers at the same tournament last year.

Others who have finished runner-up at the SA Amateur are Ernie Els and Tim Clark, way back when. (Ernie did win one before turning pro).

They both went on to do all right.

It was a monumental effort from Woollam, who matriculated at Hilton College last year.

His ranking has climbed to 44 and it seems it won’t be long before it’s even higher.

The bad news for KZN golf is that he will be off to the US in August to play college golf there.

Matt Saulez and Greg McKay are two players who rate him.

ALSO READ: Learning curve for Matt Saulez at SA Open

“He was in the team in my last junior IPT in Worcester in Boland so that’s where I got to know him. Very nice guy with obvious talent as he showed last week. He’s shown everyone that he has a very solid game,” said Saulez.

McKay had a smiliar view.

“Chris is a great guy and has matured a lot over the last couple of years. He’s very strong tee to green and when he gets the putter going he is very dangerous. I’m extremely happy for him and he can be proud of what he has achieved this week,” he said.

Overall, it was a decent effort for KZN players at the tournament, with 10 making it to the matchplay reserved for the top 64.

Byron Coetzee (Cotswold Downs) made it to the quarter-finals, as did McKay (Mount Edgecombe CC).

Saulez (Durban CC) and Malcolm Mitchell (Kloof), two of the pre-tournament favourites, got bundled out in the last 16.

This was disappointing as they were drawn for a potential quarterfinal clash which would have been quite something.

Saulez has sneaked past Mitchell and is now number two, with Mitchell at three.

Matthews Hands (Simbithi), who avoided the qualifying playoff by acing the 18th, went out in the second round, along with Clayton Mansfield (Durban CC).

Those knocked out in the first round were Luke Mayo and Siyanda Mwandla (both Mount Edgecombe CC), and Jason Broomhead (Durban CC).

* In local premier league action, Durban CC beat Toti 10-2 at Toti. Kloof lost 8,5-3,5 at home to Mount Edgecombe CC.

Cotswold Downs beat Royal Durban at Cotswold 10-2. One of the Cotswold players, who won’t be named, narrowly avoided a ‘dog licence’, being beaten 6/5 by a resurgent Barry McGhee. Okay, we’ll name him … it was, believe it or not, Brendan Adlam!

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