Cameron reigns in wet weather at Southern KZN Open at Southbroom Golf Club
It's Cameron's second win on the KZN circuit, having won the East Griqualand Open earlier in the year.
Mental fortitude and physical endurance was needed as much as the skill involved in swinging a golf club at the Southern KZN Open at Southbroom Golf Club recently.
Cameron Olivant (16) of Port Shepstone Country Club secured victory by two shots over KZN captain Jason Gilliver (Scottburgh), scoring 70 during the miserable, rainswept morning and then 69 on a calmer, but still overcast and at times drizzly afternoon.
Jason had rounds of 73 and 68 to put pressure on the youngster.
Kalvin van Rensburg (Toti) was third on 72 and 71, with Southbroom Big Fish, Gavin Sole, in fourth on 75 and 68 – it taking some time for the multiple past champion to find his groove.
Cameron seemed to enjoy the unpleasant conditions and if he was he among a handful.
Nine players submitted ‘no returns’ and several others withdrew before the tournament teed off.
For those who endured the torrid conditions in the morning, the afternoon calm was some reward.
Victor Phungula won the B division on scores of 82 and 80, some very solid golf.
The win for Cameron was a slight settling of a score from last year, where he was surprised to find himself in a playoff against Jason Broomhead (Durban CC) at Umdoni Park.
Then he was somewhat shocked and mildly mortified when he missed a tiny putt to extend the playoff.
He was delighted with the win, but said it was not without some anxious moments.
After getting to three under through 27 holes, he then bogeyed the first and second holes (Cameron had teed off on the 10th to start) and now stood on the most difficult hole into the wind arguably in the province.
Out came the driver, down the middle, par. On the 5th he took a major risk, hauling out the driver again, and finishing green high, which led to a birdie.
On the par five 6th he chipped in for eagle, and finished things off with a tap in birdie on his final hole of the day.
The fantastic finish would prove to be enough for the win against some quality players.
He had come off some sparkling form, shooting a 63 (29 and 34) in a social round with Colin Nel and James Coull the Tuesday before.
Cameron can now look forward to playing for the KZN U19 team at the South African IPT next month.
RESULTS
139 Cameron Olivant 70 69
141 Jason Gilliver 73 68
142 Kalvin van Rensburg 73 69
143 Gavin Sole 75 68
143 Greg Smith 72 71
144 Grant Olivier 71 73
145 Greg Upneck 70 75 * (not found on HNA)
147 JM Bouic 71 76
150 Jan McDermott 79 71
150 Gitesh Maharaj 74 76
152 Mike Algie 72 80
153 Maxwell Mthembu 75 78
154 Darryn Potgieter 79 75
156 Sandile Mbuyazi 76 80
157 Jordan Troughton 82 75
158 Terence Hope 83 75
158 Chris Tredoux 80 78
159 Mark Olivier 81 78
159 Graham Sole 80 79
160 Tiaan Bekker 78 82
161 Mark Cowie 91 70
162 Victor Phungula 82 80
164 Adrian van Vuuren 82 82
164 Kenneth Commins 79 85
165 Jaden Munsamy 87 78
166 Steve Swain 88 78
167 Cyprian Xolo 88 79
168 Grant Richards 88 80
170 Nhlanhla Nxumalo 85 85
173 Chris Carelsen 91 82
173 Cody Dry 89 84
174 Sizwe Khumalo 86 88
174 Grantie Richards 85 89
175 Adhir Singh 94 81
178 Werner Duggan 89 89
182 JP Fourie 95 87
182 Matthew Evans 95 87
187 Simon Shusha 91 96
188 Jonathan Muthige 100 88
193 Ganas Naicker 95 98
NR Brad Grant 82
NR Mpendulo Hadebe 85
NR Vusi Maphumulo 87
NR Lloyd Bolton 88
NR Nkazimulo Nqoko 90
NR Loyiso Goqwana 94
NR Sydney Shingange
NR Elvis Khawula
NR Njabulo Mngoma
WD George Rautenbach
WD Byron Chandler
WD Sifiso Memela
WD Kevin Feinberg
WD Sbu Ntozakhe
WD Mandla Mthethwa
NS Thabani Ngcungama
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
