Introducing GolfRSA Rising Star Casey Jarvis

28 October 2019 – GolfRSA National Squad member Casey Jarvis is widely regarded as one of South Africa’s brightest golfing prospects and he showed why he is thought of so highly when he erased a six shot deficit to capture the sough-after Silver Salver title this October.

Jarvis came from behind after 36 holes to overhaul the field with a flawless nine-under-par 63 in the third round and shot 69 in the final round to claim his second Open Amateur title.

The six-shot win at Irene Country Club was yet another milestone in the career of the 16-year-old State Mines golfer, who has maintained an upwards trajectory since he lifted the first of three Nomads SA Boys titles in the Under-13 Championship in 2015.

In 2017, Jarvis went wire-to-wire to beat the cream of European junior golf in the English Boys U-14 Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

His uncanny ability to produce winning shots under pressure in the big moments landed him in the winner’s circle in the Nomads SA Boys Under-15 and Under-17 Championship, the Ekurhuleni Open, Africa Junior Open, the Gowrie SA Under-15 Challenge, the Bridge Fund Manager Junior Series North Final and it earned him a Race to Q-School victory on the IGT Challenge Tour over the last 20 months.

In addition to excelling as an individual, Jarvis has been equally impressive in team events.

In March, the Boksburg junior earned his South African Junior colours and justified his selection for the All-Africa Junior Golf Challenge where he partnered Martin Vorster, Sam Simpson and Christo Lamprecht to South Africa’s 21st consecutive victory.

Three months later – and 17 years after South Africa’s first success in the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup Trophy – he was part of the GolfRSA Protea Junior Team’s historic victory in Japan. The South African quartet not only won by 11 strokes on a staggering total of 41-under-par 811, but became the first team in the 27-year history of the event to break the 40-under barrier.

Jarvis also played a crucial role in Ekurhuleni’s back-to-back success in the SA Under-19 Inter-Provincial in 2017 and 2018 and his union’s historic first victory in the SA Inter-Provincial at Mbombela Golf Club this year.

We sat down with Casey after his Silver Salver success to learn a little more about the spitfire from Ekurhuleni.

FULL NAME
Casey David Jarvis

BORN
28th July 2003

RESIDENCE
Freeway Park, Boksburg

SCHOOL & GRADE
Home Zone Edu Centre, Grade 10

RANKINGS
Open Amateur – 10
Junior Amateur – 3

CHIP SHOTS
My all-time favourite movie is The Shawshank Redemption
My favourite food is salad
I like rap and ballads and my top artists are Matthew Mole and James Arthur
The motto I live by is “Never Give Up”
Two of my favourite actors are Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington
I love watching Tiger Woods in action because he is a magician on the golf course, he can deal with pressure and pulls off great shots at the right moments.
My top tournaments to watch are the Masters, Players Championship and The Open
I like playing and watching soccer, table tennis and cricket
I would love to win the Masters, because you qualify to play in it forever
The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten was these noodles in Japan during the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup – had to be the worst taste ever.
The three top things on my bucket list is to watch Man United play Man City at Old Trafford, to play in the Presidents Cup one day and to play a round of golf with Tiger Woods
If I got stuck on an island, I’d wish for a fishing rod to feed myself and a phone and speaker to listen to music

TELL US ABOUT THE START OF YOUR GOLFING CAREER
I started playing golf when I was four years old. My dad bought me this plastic set of clubs and taught me how to swing. I was six years old when I played my first SA Kids Golf tournament at Reading Country Club.

TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE PAST GOALS YOU HAVE ACHIEVED AND GOALS YOU’VE SET FOR YOURSELF FOR THE FUTURE
My goal for 2019 was to earn South African Junior Colours, which I achieved when I was selected to the GolfRSA Junior Protea team that represented South Africa in the All Africa Junior Golf Challenge.
I also hoped to make the Junior Presidents Cup team and I gave it a really good go, but came up just short of qualifying. My future goals include:
1. Breaking into the top five of the Open Amateur Rankings
2. Qualify and compete in the SA Open
3. Make the cut in the British Amateur Championship
4. Earn South African Senior national colours
5. Break into the top 100 in the official world golf rankings
6. Qualify for the next Junior Presidents Cup in 2021

WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS AND WHY?
I really admire Tiger Woods, because he never gives up and he can deal with pressure. And I also admire Denzel Washington, because he inspires a lot of people with his quotes.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS OF YOUR GAME?
My strengths are putting and driving and the weakest link in my overall game is chipping.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST AND WORST TRAVEL EXPERIENCES?
My best travel experience was winning for my country in the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan this year, and my worst experience was when my shoe got stuck on the escalator in the middle of New York Airport and all the people were laughing at me.

WHAT SONG WOULD YOU PICK TO BE PLAYED FOR YOU ON THE FIRST TEE?
Hall of Fame by The Script.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN ONE WORD
Assertive

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE GROWING UP?
Never wanted to be anything else than a professional golfer

WHAT WOULD YOU ASK FOR IF YOU WERE GRANTED THREE WISHES?
To be wealthy
To play golf with Tiger Woods
To score a winning goal for Man United at Old Trafford

TELL US TWO THINGS YOU’RE REALLY GOOD AT
Soccer and listening to music.

DREAM FOURBALL?
The people who inspire me the most – Tiger Woods, Denzel Washington and my dad Kevin.

WHICH ACTOR WOULD YOU PICK TO PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND WHY?
I would like to inspire people so I’d pick Denzel Washington – not only a great actor, but he really inspires people.

BIGGEST FEAR?
Bugs that fly around me.

GO-TO CLUB?
Putter, because to shoot good scores, you have to hole putts.

FIVE THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME
1. I can get pretty aggressive on the golf course
2. I am very competitive
3. I love fishing
4. I love music
5. I love watching soccer

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUNGSTERS JUST STARTING THE GAME?
Practice hard, but have fun and most importantly – Never Give Up.