SA’s Champions of Champions crowned

Overnight leaders Caitlyn McNab and Bertie Steenkamp were crowned the GolfRSA Champion of Champions after they won the ladies and men’s divisions of the National Final at Glendower. Fifteen-year-old McNab, from Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate, consolidated her six-shot overnight lead to win by seven strokes over Akasia’s Lenanda van der Watt, claiming her second amateur title in the process.

Champion Caitlyn McNab, credit Ernest Blignaut

“It’s a really great feeling,” she explained. “It’s quite a new feeling, but I am going to take a lot of confidence from this win. I had so much fun out there as I’m friends with everyone in the fourball and I was just doing what I love. The win feels like a bonus.”

The GolfRSA Elite Squad member got off to a hot start on Monday, getting to 7 under through 11 holes before the group caught the back of the field and she lost some momentum over the closing holes.

“Everything was working,” she explained. “I was striking it well, was good off the tee, knocking it close and sinking the putts. Then I made a hole-in-one on the 17th, which was just out of this world. I still can’t believe it happened.”

The final round was harder work for McNab, but she reached the turn with a six-shot advantage and never looked back.

“At every tournament, whether you win it or finish 10th, you  learn new skills and how to manage your game better,” she said. “I’m so grateful to GolfRSA for putting on this event. Paul [Adams] and his team ran the event so smoothly.”

Steenkamp, from Upington Golf Club, struggled with a bad back to hang onto his lead and claim the inaugural Champion of Champions title by two shots over Westlake’s Brent Kirstein.

“It’s a great privilege to be the champion, especially for the first event,” he explained. “We all know there are a lot of great amateur golfers in South Africa so I’m delighted with this win.

“It was a bit of a struggle today; my back issues limit me to two rounds a month so to play two days in a row was tough, but I got to  four holes to play and saw that I had a three shot lead so I knew I needed to keep steady and make some pars coming in.”

In the men’s B Division, Weloington Golf Club’s Johan Brand shot rounds of 79 and 80 to win by six strokes over Port Elizabeth Golf Club’s Neil Webster, while Bryanston Country Club’s Tyron Rees ran out a narrow winner in the C Division.

In the Ladies Bronze Division, it was Kameeldoring’s Antoinette Human who prevailed by four points over Waterkloof’s Lenie Cronje.

Results

Men’s A Division

1         Bertie Steenkamp              71     77            148

2         Brent Kirstein                     78     72            150

3         Sebastian Terblanche        80     71            151

4         Jannie Bronkhurst             78     74            152

4         Vaughn van Deventer       78     74            152

 

Ladies Silver Division

1         Caitlyn McNab                    71     75            146

2         Lenanda van der Watt      77     76            153

3         Jordan Rothman                 77     80            157

4         Kera Healey                        79     83            162

 

Men’s B Division

1         Johan Brand                        79     80            159

2         Neil Webster                       79     86            165

3         Christopher Henry             88     81            169

 

Ladies Bronze Division

1         Antoinette Human             37     24            61

2         Lenie Cronje                       31     26            57

3         Cinteche du Plessis            33     23            56

3         Jennifer Theron                 34     22            56

 

Men’s C Division

1         Tyron Rees                          37     29            66

2         Bokkie Greyling                  31     34            65

2         Shane le Roux                     36     29            65

4         Leonard Fritz                      34     30            64

5         Cilliers Miller                      32     31            63