Big Fish too tough to catch
The course was in superb condition after some decent rain.
THE ‘Next Gen’ of golfers on the South Coast still has some work to do in order to claim the status of being number one in Southern KwaZulu-Natal.
In the region’s annual Closed tournament, veteran Gavin Sole (Southbroom GC) scored 72 and 69 in sweltering hot conditions to win by five from aspirant pro Jason Gilliver.
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It really was a hot day, typical of this time of year, with one player producing beads of sweat on his forehead, while still on the way to the course and still sitting in an air-conditioned car.
Sole’s victory, admittedly, was played at his home club, but he was below his usual metronomic self, battling a splitting headache, sore throat and some post-season rustiness.
His oddest shot came on the 17th in the morning where, worried about the bush on the left, he aimed up the right, only to lose the ball in one of the towering Norfolk pine trees near the bunkers.
“First time that’s ever happened to me,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Gilliver made the early running, hoping to be one of very few golfers to beat the Big Fish on his home track.
Despite an opening bogey, Gilliver returned a morning 68.
This included a back nine of 31, where he made birdies on the 10th, 13th, 18th and an eagle on the 17th.
But then he wasted it in the afternoon with a series of inexplicable bogeys.
“Six over with no doubles, throwing it away again, giving it to Gav,” he lamented of his 78.
His focus is now Q School, where he may look forward to slightly less restrictive fairways and faster greens… and to producing the kind of golf he had in the morning.
Third place went to Robert Mavundla (Margate Country Club) on 75 and 72.
Tie for fourth were Elvis Khawula (Margate CC) and George Bothma (Southbroom GC) on 150.
Next were Jack Cubitt (Umdoni Park), Koos Jacobs (Margate CC) and Mitch Hampson (Umdoni Park) on 151.
Jean-Marc Bouic (Port Shepstone CC) finished ninth on 78 and 74, while Phiwa Mkhoma (Port Shepstone CC) rounded out the top 10 with 76 and 77.
Past winner Graham Fabricius (Port Shepstone CC) had a decent day spoilt by an 11 on the 3rd hole in the afternoon and had to settle for 74 and 81.
“The first one was only a few inches out of bounds,” he said. Balls two and three were also out, so he had to trundle back to the tee to hit a fourth ball, playing seven off the tee!
The 3rd hole has to be one of the most feared and respected anywhere in the country, especially in strokeplay.
Andrew Sharp won the B division, putting together a startling 38 and then a more expected erratic 29.
Best overall nett went to George Bothma on 144, one ahead of evergreen Gary Purtell (Southbroom GC).
The opening league game is on February 2 and Southern KZN will host Kloof ‘A’ at Southbroom.
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