1. Four prestige SA Boys titles rest in the hands of EEFF members
Jovan Rebula made sure with his win in the South African Boys U17 Championship that all four SA Boys titles are currently in the hands of members of the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation (EEFF). This is the second year in succession that the members of the EEFF have dominated play in these major junior events in South Africa.
14-year-old Keelan van Wyk from Roodepoort CC started the year on a high when he won the SA Boys u15 at Centurion in January. Zander Gous then claimed the coveted Nomads SA Boys u19 Championship double when he won the Match Play and the Stroke Play titles at Benoni. The 17-year-old Piet Retief golfer emulated Richard Sterne (1999) and Dylan Frittelli (2008) to become only the third junior golfer in the 25-year history of the event to win both titles when he defeated Aneurin Gounden from Mount Edgecombe in Durban in the Match Play section.
15-year-old Rebula from George ensured with his win at Mount Edgecombe that all four SA Boys titles are in possession of members of the EEFF. Two of the four titles in 2012 were won by EEFF members. Rebula won the SA Boys u15 at Somerset-West, while Thriston Lawrence made sure of the SA Boys u19 Match Play title at Katberg.
2. Branden Grace shares knowledge with EEFF members (photo above)
Former EEFF member and multiple European Tour winner Branden Grace recently gave the current crop of members some valuable tips on how to play The Links during the National Order of Merit tournament at Fancourt. The tournament was played over three courses, Outeniqua, Montagu and The Links. The final and third round was played on The Links on 3 July. Grace was sharing the same practice facility at Fancourt with the EEFF members while he was honing his skills for this year’s Open at Muirfield. As always he had no problem with the fact that the EEFF members interrupted his practice session to ask him a few questions on how to play The Links and what was the secret of his perfect practice schedule.
“Patience is the key word when facing a round or a tournament at The Links,” commented Grace. “Some holes you have to treat with respect and see a par as a good score. Try and get your birdies on some of the par-5s. Do not try and force a birdie – the course will bite you.”
According to Grace it is also very important to practise different shots with the same club. “Take a 7-iron and practice all kinds of different shots – a fade, cut, low fade, low cut and a high shot,” Grace explained. “To compete with the best players in the world you will need to do that.”
Photo: Members of the EEFF with Branden Grace at Fancourt. From left to right: Zander Gous, Jovan Rebula, David Meyers, Branden Grace, Keelan van Wyk, Ian Snyman, Karabo Mokoena and Aneurin Gounden.
3. Rebula crowned SA Boys u17 Champion
Jovan Rebula has strengthened his position as one of South Africa’s top juniors by adding the Nomads South African Boys U17 Championship to his already impressive list of titles in junior golf in South Africa. The 15-year-old Rebula (68, 68, 74, 68 for 278, 6-under par) led from the start and his professional approach to the game secured him a one-shot victory over Hennie du Plessis from Polokwane (74, 68, 71, 66 for 279, 5 under) at Mount Edgecombe Country Club on 27 June.
“It was all about patience,” Rebula said. “I knew from day one that the player who applies the best patience will be the winner. And I did that throughout the tournament. I do believe that saved me coming down the stretch when my lead shrunk to just one shot.”
Some of the players really found it difficult to control the ball out of the rough round the greens and the subtle breaks on the putting surfaces. On his return to Fancourt Rebula also won The Links Open, part of the Southern Cape’s Union schedule, on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff on 30 July.
Rebula, who is a member of the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation and a Grade 10 learner at Outeniqua High in George, also won the SA Boys U15 title last year at Somerset-West. This is his second big win since the beginning of the year after he also won the trophy at the National Order of Merit North & South Tournament at Lake Club Benoni in April. Other performances of members of the EEFF: T5-David Meyers; T7-Aneurin Gounden; T21-Keelan van Wyk; T59-Karabo Mokoena; T71-Chandler Shaw.
4. Dauwa unbeaten in sudden-death playoffs
Nkosinathi Dauwa from Lake Club Benoni is unbeaten (two from two) when it comes to sudden-death playoffs in junior tournaments in the Ekurhuleni Union. The 17-year-old EEFF member clinched his second title when he defeated Chris van Tonder on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Kempton Park Junior Open on 28 June. Dauwa, who is the junior and senior club champion at Lake Club Benoni, had to work hard for his third title in junior golf in the Ekurhuleni Union the past two years. He birdied the last hole of the two-round tournament at Kempton Park to force the playoff.
“I knew I had to make a birdie on the last hole to force the playoff,” Dauwa said. “I went straight for the cup with my second on the 18th hole and I nearly holed the shot for an eagle 2. The ball stopped close to the cup. It was a tap-in birdie and another playoff.”
According to Dauwa they halved the first extra hole with a par where after another par on the second extra hole was good enough for him to secure his third win.
5. Jovan, David rub shoulders with Blues ‘giants’
Jovan Rebula and David Meyers took the opportunity to meet some of the players from the Blues Super 15 rugby team while participating in the Nomads South African Boys U17 Championship at Mount Edgecombe. Rebula and Meyers were part of a group of six players from the EEFF who shared the Garden Court Umhlanga with the New Zealanders who were preparing for their match against the Sharks on 29 June.
“These guys are huge,” said Meyers, who is one of the smaller members of the EEFF. “I could not believe it. When you stand right next to them then you realise how big they are. Jovan and I were in the same lift with two of their players and that was it – there was no room for anybody else. The lift was full. We felt like midgets.”
Rebula was also impressed with the players from the Blues and especially the fact that Ma’a Nonu, centre from the Blues and the All Blacks, took time off to speak to them and was prepared to pose for a photo. “I always like the way he (Nonu) plays” Rebula said. “He is one of my heroes. But like David explained I could not believe how big and strong he is. It was great to share the hotel with these players for close to a week.”
6. Flawless golf gives Bezuidenhout an impressive two-shot victory
A flawless round of golf, which included five birdies, secured a two-shot victory for EEFF member Christiaan Bezuidenhout in the Limpopo Open on 2 July. This was his fourth amateur title since the beginning of the year. The 19-year old Graduate Support member of the EEFF moved past the leaders in the final round with a brilliant 67 for 205, 11-under par. Thriston Lawrence, a former member of the EEFF, finished second on 207.
Bezuidenhout started the year with a win in the EP/Border Stroke Play. He then followed that with a double-victory in the Western Province Amateur (Stroke Play and Match Play). According to Bezuidenhout, who plays out of Delmas GC and is coached by Doug Bain at Serengeti, his putting and solid approach shot made the difference during the final round. “I hit 16 of 18 greens on the final day,” said Bezuidenhout, who played in the second last threeball. “I gave myself lots of birdie opportunities. I played a solid round of golf. I never had to scramble for a par. I really enjoyed it and I was not aware of what was going on in the threeball behind me.”
Bezuidenhout was in 3rd position on the SAGA’s National Order of Merit before the start of the Limpopo Open. His next tournament will be the Southern Cape Open at Plettenberg Bay on 16-18 August.
7. Protea colours for Bianca Theron
EEFF member Bianca Theron is a Protea! This likeable 16-year-old from Devonvale Golf Club, ranked the number one junior in SA, just received her Protea colours and will represent South Africa in the Annika Invitational in Swede and the British Girls in August. Theron will be joined by Magda Kruger from Pretoria to fly the flag for South Africa in these two events. “I am so happy,” said Theron “I still could not believe it. I am really looking forward to these tournaments and specially the fact that I will represent South Africa.”
According to the Grade 11 learner from Stellenberg High in Durbanville she has worked very hard for this achievement. She is also averaging a percentage of middle 80s at school. “It took very careful planning on and off the golf course,” explained Theron. “School plays an important role in my life and to perform in both areas are possible. It has forced me to lay down goals and work focused.”
Theron is coached by Anna Becker-Frankel from Devonvale GC and Grant Hepburn, the newly appointed Executive Director of the South African Golf Development Board. She is currently the number one junior golfer in SA and in third position on the senior national Women’s Golf SA ranking. Theron, who started playing golf at age 10, is the best junior and senior in the Boland.
