Spotlight on Eisenhower Trophy challengers
Jovan Rebula, Marco Steyn and Dylan Naidoo from South Africa will challenge 71 nations for the Eisenhower Trophy at the 2016 World Amateur Team Championships in September.
The 2016 edition – hosted by the Mexican Golf Federation – will be played at the Mayakoba El Camaleon and Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Clubs in Riviera Maya, Mexico from 21-24 September.
The men’s and women’s competitions feature the world’s leading amateurs and the format is 72 holes of stroke play. Each country is represented by a team of two or three players.
Currently, six teams are still on the waiting list for participation in the men’s championship.
Four teams are making first-time appearances in the Eisenhower Trophy competition: Armenia, Haiti, Kazakhstan and the Republic of Moldova.
At the 2014 Championships in Japan, 67 teams played for the Eisenhower Trophy, which was won by the United States of America.
Let’s take a closer look at the trio inspiring to become the first South African winners in the prestigious biennial international amateur competition, conducted by the International Golf Federation, this September.
JOVAN REBULA
Date of birth – 22 July 1997
Club – George Golf Club
Affiliation – Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation
Current SAGA ranking – 2
2016 Highlights
Winner – Western Province Match Play
Winner – EP/Border Stroke Play
Runner-up – Southern Cape Open
T15 St Andrews Trophy
Career Highlights
2012 Nomads SA Boys U-15 winner
2013 Nomads SA Boys U-17 winner
2013 Proudfoot Winner – Sanlam SA Amateur Championship
2015 Sanlam SA Amateur finalist
Top 10 – 2014 Callaway Junior World Championship
Team Highlights
Africa Zone VI Golf Tournament winners 2014 (RSA)
SA Junior Inter-Provincial B-Division winners 2013 and 2015 (Southern Cape)
SA Junior Team vs France (winners 2014 and 2015)
2014 TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup (top 10)
2015 Zone VI Golf Tournament (runners-up)
MARCO STEYN
Date of birth – 22 December 1997
Club – Modderfontein Golf Club
Affiliation – Tuks HPC Golf Academy
Current SAGA ranking – 1
2016 Highlights
Winner – Free State Open
Winner – Leopard Trophy Junior
Semi-final Sanlam SA Amateur Championship
Career Highlights
2015 Joburg Junior Open, All Africa Junior Open & Dimension Data Junior Open
2014 Northern Amateur Stroke Play
2014 North & South Junior Championship
Teams Highlights
2016 Africa Zone VI Golf Tournament winners (RSA)
All-Africa Junior Golf Challenge winners 2015 & 2016 (RSA)
2016 Premier SA Inter-Provincial (Gauteng)
SA Junior Team vs France (winners 2015)
TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup (2015 and 2016)
Louis Oosthuizen SA Junior Club Championship winners 2013 – 2015 (Modderfontein)
Retief Goosen High School Championship winners 2011, 2013 & 2014 (Tuks High School)
DYLAN NAIDOO
Date of birth – 21 February 1998
Club – Modderfontein Golf Club
Affiliation – Tuks HPC Golf Academy
Current SAGA ranking – 8
2016 Highlights
Sanlam SA Amateur Championship finalist
Winner – Nomads Dr Bam
Winner – Big Easy Observatory
Career Highlights
2014 Nomads SA Boys U-17 Stroke Play winner
2015 Nomads SA Boys U-17 Stroke Play winner
2015 Winner All Africa Junior Golf Championship
Top 10 – 2014 US Kids Golf Teen World Championship
3rd – 2015 Optimist Junior Golf International Championships
Top 15 – Duke of York Young Champions
Teams Highlights
2016 Africa Zone VI Golf Tournament winners (RSA)
All-Africa Junior Golf Challenge winners 2015 & 2016 (RSA)
SA Junior Team vs France (winners 2015)
TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup (2015 and 2016)
Louis Oosthuizen SA Junior Club Championship winners 2013 – 2015 (Modderfontein)
Retief Goosen High School Championship winners 2011, 2013 & 2014 (Tuks High School)