Viljoen victorious in Nomads SA U15 Championship

2025 Nomads SA U15 Championship winner Shaun Viljoen at Schoeman Park Golf Club; credit GolfRSA

10 January 2025 – Shaun Viljoen begun his 2025 season with a statement of intent after his victory at the 2025 Nomads SA U15 Championship at Schoeman Park Golf Club in early January, while Andries van der Vyver and Marno Lange lifted the first two Nomads National Order of Merit trophies of the new year.
Viljoen was in tremendous form all week as he battled last year’s Joburg Junior Open and Nomads Gowrie Farm U15 champion Schalk van Ettinger (68, 69 and 71) and 2024 Nomads SA U13 winner Jordan Groenewald for the honours.
Kingswood’s Groenewald set the pace with an opening five under par, with Viljoen and Van Ettinger, who plays out of Ruimsig Country Club, just a shot adrift.
The St Francis Links member was able to put some space between himself and the chasing pack off the back of a superb 67 in the second round. He started the final round a shot clear of Van Ettinger and Groenewald and was able to match Van Ettinger’s 71 in the final round en route to a statement two-stroke victory in Bloemfontein. Groenewald had to settle for third after closing with a 76.
Viljoen’s most recent victory was the Dimension Data U15 Junior Open in September, and the GolfRSA National Squad member has started to make contending and winning a habit.
He was thrilled to etch his name on a trophy alongside former champion Trevor Immelman, and recent winners Jayden Schaper, Wilo Nienaber, Martin Forster and Casey Jarvis, among others.“It’s a great way to the start the year,” said the 14-year-old Eastern Province junior. “This trophy means a lot. So many great players have won this tournament, and it means so much to have my name on it.
“The game plan this week was about being aggressive because the greens were so receptive. I was trying to get as close as possible to allow myself to hit wedges into the greens and spin the ball into good places to putt from.
“It’s always a relief to get the job done and I have some great momentum to take into the rest of the year.”

2025 Nomads SA U15 Championship Girls Division winner Amy Stanton; credit GolfRSA

In the Girls division, Eagle Canyon’s Amy Stanton held on for a nerve-wracking one-shot victory over Danielle Chong.
There was little separating the two players after the opening round before Stanton burst clear with a solid 82 in round two. Chong, though, would not give up the fight and played herself into contention with an 80 in the final round.
It meant that Stanton did not have the freedom to cruise to victory, but she held on to edge Chong to the title with a final round 83 to triumph by a single shot.

TOP 10 BOYS
206 Shaun Viljoen 68 67 71
208 Schalk van Ettinger 68 69 71
213 Jordan Groenewald 67 70 76
218 AJ van Emmenis 72 72 74; Alex Frankel 73 73 72
221 Aiden Combrinck 74 73 74
223 Chad Stanton 79 72 72; Evan Marais 73 76 74; Rafael Amiel 72 74 77
225 Mathew Tresling 75 76 74

TOP 10 GIRLS
249 Amy Stanton 84 82 83
250 Danielle Chong 85 85 80
283 Caitlen van Heerden 93 92 98