TOP OF THE CLASS
Scotland’s Gregor Graham continued his country’s fine record at the South African Amateur Championship when he edged local favourite Jordan Burnand 4 & 2 at the 36-hole final at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club
The Blairgowrie player became the fifth Scot to lift the most sought-after amateur title in South Africa, emulating compatriots Michael Stewart (2011), Brian Soutar (2012), Daniel Young (2015) and Craig Scott (2016).
Burnand, the reigning South African Stroke Play champion and second in the GolfRSA national ranking, was heavily favoured going into the final on home soil, but Graham had shown he was coming into form with a runner-up finish at the Gauteng North Open at The Els Club Copperleaf and a top 10 at the SA Stroke Play at Mount Edgecombe Country Club Estate.
The Scot produced a near faultless display of golf to take command of the match over the opening 18 holes, racing to a commanding 5 up lead with a barrage of eight birdies in the first 15 holes.
A surprising double-bogey on the 16th handed Burnand a timely boost, and the Ebotse golfer – chasing the rare calendar double – clawed back two holes with successive birdies go 3 down through the first 18 holes.
Both players birdied the 19th hole, and Graham still had a fight on his hands after Burnand birdied the 22nd (4th) to go 2 down. However, with the experienced Gregor Tait on the bag, and encouraged by fellow squad members James Morgan, Jack McDonald and Matthew Wilson, as well as Scottish Golf men’s performance coach Spencer Henderson, the Scot closed the door on Burnand with a brilliant two on the 30th hole and sealed the win with a final birdie on the 34th hole (16th).
“It’s amazing, I couldn’t be happier,” said the 20-year-old Graham. “There is so much Scottish history in this event, so to add to that feels great. I’m delighted to have finally won a big amateur event.”
WEBER CLAIMS PROUDFOOT TROPHY
Fourteen-year-old Ben Weber made history as the youngest winner of the Proudfoot Trophy since its inception in 1931 when he edged countryman Simon du Plooy and Netherlands’ Lars van der Vight by a stroke.
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WEBER CLAIMS PROUDFOOT TROPHY
Fourteen-year-old Ben Weber made history as the youngest winner of the Proudfoot Trophy – the 36-hole stroke play qualifier for the South African Amateur Championship – since its inception in 1931 when he edged countryman Simon du Plooy and Netherlands’ Lars van der Vight by a stroke.
With rounds of 69 and a bogey-free 66 across Royal Johannesburg’s East Course, Weber set an early clubhouse target of nine under par, but faced an anxious five-hour wait as the chasing pack closed him down.
Late starter, fellow GolfRSA National Squad member Nash de Klerk, made the strongest charge and got within two shots with a trio of birdies from the 10th. He was unable to take advantage of the two remaining par fives on the front nine, though, and Weber could exhale when De Klerk dropped on the 8th hole.
“It was a nerve-wracking wait for most of the day,” said Weber, after watching De Klerk par the par-five closing hole to come up short of forcing a playoff. “I finished quite early, at 12 o’clock, and Nash finished late, so it was a very long wait.”
Weber, who hails from East London, popped on to GolfRSA’s radar as an 11-year-old, and after his three-shot victory at the 2023 Nomads SA U-15 Championship, the Border junior was inducted into the GolfRSA National Squad in May 2023.
His first Open Amateur win is a sweet one. “I had to miss the South African Stroke Play Championship at Mount Edgecombe due to school, but I was thrilled to tee it up at my first SA Amateur,” said the Selborne College learner.
Notable early winners of the Proudfoot Trophy include five-time Open champion Bobby Locke and legends of the game Hugh Baiocchi, Denis Hutchinson, Dale Hayes and Mark McNulty. In recent years, Major champion Trevor Immelman, DP World Tour winners Brandon Stone and Haydn Porteous, and Sunshine Tour champion Luca Filippa have etched their names on this iconic piece of silverware.
“I’m so proud to have my name on the trophy alongside so many great champions,” said Weber. “I have to say well done to Nash. I watched him play on the back and he kept fighting for the title all the way to the end.”
HISTORY MAKER
See how Weber became the youngest winner of the Proudfoot Trophy.
It’s amazing, I couldn’t be happier. There is so much Scottish history in this event, so to add to that feels great
– Gregor Graham
TITANIC BATTLE
Relive the SA Amateur Championship final with Graham and Burnand.
Graham’s superb golf in a championship that was first held in 1892 will see his name etched alongside some of the greats of the game, including five-time Open champion Bobby Lock, Major champions Ernie Els and Trevor Immelman, PGA Tour winner Hugh Biaocchi, and DP World Tour winners George Coetzee and Thriston Lawrence.
As was the case with the four previous Scottish winners, Graham travelled to South Africa as a member of the Scottish Golf Squad, sponsored by the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation.
The squad makes the annual trek to escape the harsh British winter to prepare for the start of the European season. “We love coming out here,” said the new champion, who also became the first amateur to triumph on Major winner Paul Lawrie’s Tartan Pro Tour in the Blairgowrie Perthshire Masters in 2023.
“We stop playing in September, so it’s quite a long off-season. We always look forward to getting out to the warm weather and playing tournament golf again. You have such amazing players over here, and it’s great to play against them.”
GAllery below
Graham attributed his success to a strong driving game. “I hit the ball very well off the tee and gave myself lots of birdie opportunities,” he said. “Obviously I putted nicely, but I was just taking things one hole at a time and concentrating on giving myself birdie opportunities.”
The Scot made 14 birdies over 34 holes, with his only blemish being a double-bogey on the 16th, and it was his consistency that wore down his opponent, who was desperate to add the Match Play title to his Stroke Play win a week earlier.
“I’ve put in lots of hard work during the off-season, and I’ve been itching to get back in and play tournament golf,” he said. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see all the practice and effort rewarded.”
Scottish National team coach Spencer Henderson was delighted to have produced another South African Amateur champion.
“We have come close in the past few years, and I was even on the bag when Rory [Franssen] lost to Kyle de Beer in the final two years ago, so it is really good to get over the line. Gregor has come through the Scottish Golf ranks since he was 13, so for him to win has just been fantastic. He’s a great kid and a really good example for younger players.
MATCHPLAY 101
Challengers at the 2024 Amateur and SA Women's Amateur unpack the intricacies of matchplay, and why it's so much tougher and more exciting than strokeplay.
“He fought back from five over in the strokeplay qualifier, and comfortably made the top 64 and went on to win it. He showed great heart and determination.
“It was a superb final, between two great players. You can tell there was mutual respect, and when someone played a good shot, it was acknowledged by their opponent. That is what golf is all about and sums up what we are trying to achieve with the Scottish Golf system, where good golfers are secondary, and good people are first.”
ENREST BLIGNAULT/GOLFRSA
SA WOMEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
REIGNING SUPREME
Golf prodigy Gia Raad put on a masterful display at the magnificent Modderfontein Golf Club to walk away with the most prestigious title in South African women’s amateur golf
In a battle of the teens in early February, the 16-year-old Central Gauteng junior was composure and confidence personified as she romped to a 6 & 5 victory over Olivia Wood (17) from KwaZulu-Natal in the 36-hole final of the South African Women’s Amateur Championship.
The win comes off the back of a sparkling eight months for the Country Club Johannesburg member, where she notched up victories at the English Girls and Nomads SA Girls Championships, the Mpumalanga Women’s Open, the Boland Women’s Open and the Free State Open. She also came into the SA Amateur carrying hot form after a top-five finish at the Orange Bowl Junior Invitational and a top 10 at the Hilton Grand Vacations Annika Invitational presented by Rolex.
“Winning the SA Women’s Amateur has always been a goal and it’s the greatest feeling in the world to know I achieved it,” said Raad, who moved to third in the GolfRSA Open Amateur Ranking. “It is the highest honour, I never thought I would win it this soon. I’m over the moon.”
Raad, who finished fourth at the SA Stroke Play Championship, did not have an easy run to the final.
After downing Cheslyn Jacobs 1 up in the first round, she needed 20 holes to eliminate fellow National Squad member Phenyo Sebata, but she kicked into a higher gear to defeat Kamaya Moodliar 5 & 4 and reach the semi-finals.
Facing a feisty Charlotte Millard, who ousted newly minted South African Women’s Stroke Play champion and tournament favourite Kyra van Kan, Raad took the reins early on and led 2 up through 12 holes. But Millard rallied and won the 16th and 18th holes to force the match into extra holes. Back on the 1st tee, Millard’s tee shot ended up in the penalty area and, with Raad on the green in two, Millard conceded the match.
WINNER’S CIRCLE
Celebrating the 2024 South African Women's Amateur champion Gia Raad and South African Women's Amateur Flight Division champion Paola Sakota!
Winning the SA Women’s Amateur has always been a goal and it’s the greatest feeling in the world to know I achieved it
– Gia Raad
On the final day Raad birdied the first two holes and got herself into an early lead after four holes. She never surrendered her advantage, despite some fighting play by Umhlali’s Wood, who won the last two holes of the opening 18 to trail 1 down at the halfway stage.
Despite Wood’s best efforts and never-say-die attitude, Raad went 3 up on the 21st hole, won the 26th hole with a birdie to go 4 up, and eagled the 28th to move into unbeatable territory.
“I have played a lot of golf in the past few months, but today the adrenaline really kicked in and I had plenty of energy,” said Raad. “My game throughout the championship was solid and consistent, and I just stuck to that gameplan today.
“I’m really happy with how I played. Livvy put up a good fight, particularly around the turn, but I knew I just had to play my own game. I’m so happy I was able to hold it together. Last year I didn’t do well in the matchplay, and I was very disappointed. I’m very happy with the win this year.”
The Flight Division title also went the way of Central Gauteng, with Poala Sakota from Royal Johannesburg celebrating her first national victory.
The 17-year-old edged Isabella Heber from King David Mowbray 1 up in the first round, downed Serengeti’s Lonique Jansen van Vuuren 4 & 2 in the second, and routed Isabella Williams from Clovelly 5 & 4 to reach the semi-finals.
The top-four match between Sakota and Holly Erler was all-square after 14 holes, but the Clovelly golfer bowed out of the contest with four successive bogeys over the last four holes. Boosted by the 5 & 4 win, Sakota took command in the 18-hole final against Zané Fourie on the fifth hole.
The Silver Lakes golfer could not find a way to dent her opponent’s confidence and Sakota wrapped up her first national title with a 4 & 3 win.
“It felt really good to win,” said the Central Gauteng junior. “Zané putted well, so I had to make some birdies. My iron shots were just horrible, but my driving was flush, and I made every up-and-down. Winning this is a great boost to my confidence and gives me a good jump in the rankings.”
ERNEST BLIGNAULT/GOLFRSA