”It is a dream come true,” is the way Louis de Jager (19) summed up his feelings after returning a final round of 73, one over par, giving him a 36-hole total of 145, one under par, one stroke clear, and the Sanlam South African Amateur Championship Stroke-Play trophy.
The event was played at the Humewood Golf Club in Port Elizabeth.
De Jager started his round-one shot off the pace from the 10th tee. By his own admission, he played the first holes badly and found himself three over par after the first four holes.
He birdied the 15th, dropped again on hole 16 and concluded the first nine with two pars, turning three over for his round and the tournament.
”The turning point in my round was the 4m putt I sunk, from off the green, on hole 17,” said De Jager. He had reached the green in three, was putting for a birdie and overcooked it, finishing off the back of the green.
”Sinking the return put, for par, really lifted my spirits and I felt that I was back in the game,” said the well-spoken De Jager, who grew up in Polokwane, in the same street as his hero Retief Goosen.
When everyone struggled over the front nine holes, De Jager’s back nine drew clear of the field. He carded three birdies and one bogey, coming home in two under par for a round of 73, one over par. With his first round of 72, it gave him a 36-hole total of 145, one over par.
The round of the day was that of Alexandre Kaleka, who shot a three-under-par 69 finishing on 146, two over par. The 20-year-old Frenchman played solidly, recording only two bogeys, three birdies and an eagle, on hole 15.
”The team coach advised us to play safe, use the pitch and run shot and putter from off the green,” explained Kaleka. ”This really worked for me today.”
Overnight co-leader Steven Williams recorded 75, three over par. He was in contention until he double-bogeyed the fifth hole. He finished on a 36-hole total of 146, two over par.
A shot further back was Jacques Guillet of France. He carded a final round of 73 for a total of 147, three over par. Branden Grace, the pre-tournament favourite, finished four shots off the pace with a total of 149, having had rounds of 74 and 75.
”It just was not my day today,” lamented the likeable player from George Golf Club in the Southern Cape.
The leading 32 players now play for the title of South African Amateur Champion in a match-play contest starting on Wednesday morning. — Sapa