Ben van Wyk got instant redemption with a two-shot triumph in the Nomads National Order of Merit Coastal at St Francis Links just days after faltering down the stretch while in contention in the Dimension Data Junior Open.
The reigning Nomads SA Boys U-19 Match Play champion posted the lowest junior score in the club’s history and equalled an amateur record that stood for 13 years when he fired a six-under-par 66 in the opening round on the Jack Nicklaus signature course.
He backed that up with a two-under 70 to win the title that has eluded him for the last three years.
‘It’s an amazing feeling to be back in the winner’s circle,’ Van Wyk said. ‘For the last three years, I’ve led this tournament in the first round and threw it away on the last day. I told myself not this time; not after last week’s disappointment.’
The 18-year-old Fancourt golfer shared the lead with Christiaan Maas going into the final round of the Dimension Data Junior Open at his home course last Tuesday.
He faded just slightly after a double bogey at the third, but kept pace with the Gauteng junior on the Montague course. However, a trio of bogeys over the last four holes put paid to his chances of overhauling Maas for victory.
A share of third was scant reward for the quality golf Van Wyk produced.
‘It stung a little bit, but I let it go because I love St Francis Links. I’ve always played well here and I knew if I made a good start, I’d have another chance. That kept me motivated. And the putter was hot on the first day,’ he said.
Birdies at the second and third, and another brace at the fifth and sixth holes pushed Van Wyk into pole position and he never relinquished the lead. He added two more birdies at 12 and 13 and offset a lone bogey at 14 with a birdie at the par three 17th for 66.
‘I struck the ball really well and I hit almost every fairway and green. I put myself in good positions to go for the right side of the greens and the putter did the rest,’ he said.
The triumph gave Van Wyk an injection of confidence.
‘I am really stoked about this win. This was my last official tournament in South Africa and it’s a great feeling to leave for the United States with two big wins under the belt,’ said Van Wyk, who is taking up a golf scholarship at Augusta University in George in August.
‘The Nomads events always draws the best junior golfers and to win against the best is pretty awesome. It’s been a great season so far, and I’ll take a lot of confidence to the United States.’
A runner-up finish also bodes well for Casey Jarvis from Ekurhuleni, who takes up his title defence in the Nomads SA Boys Under-17 Championship at the same venue next week.
Fellow GolfRSA National Squad members Cole Stevens and Jordan Duminy finished third and fourth respectively. Stevens from Gauteng carded rounds of 71 and 67 to finish on five-under, while SA Amateur finalist Duminy returned rounds of 67 and 73 for a four-under aggregate.
Final Result (Top 20):
136 Ben van Wyk 66 70
138 Casey Jarvis 70 68
139 Cole Stevens 71 68
140 Jordan Duminy 67 73
141 Samual Mckenzie 74 67; Nikhil Gopal 69 72
143 Christiaan Maas 71 72; Nikhil Rama 71 72
144 Samuel Simpson 72 72
145 James Murray 72 73
148 Jaden Deltel 71 77
149 Jean Pierre van der Watt 74 75; Reece Coleman 70 79
150 Yurav Premlall 69 81
151 Amilkar Bhana 77 74; Malan Potgieter 76 75; Ayden Senger 74 77
152 Kieron van Wyk 78 74; Jaime Clive Lewis 76 76; Jonathan Wilsenach 75 77
