In an amazing twist of fate, both the defending champions in this year’s Curro South African Juniors International (SAJI) found themselves in the heat of the battle as the final rounds in both the Girls and Boys Competitions went into extra time on Thursday.
Defending champion Garrick Higgo from Boland came from behind to tie overnight leader Wilco Nienaber from Free State. Woo Ju-Son from Johannesburg played catch-up and caught Caitlyn Macnab from Ekurhuleni to tussle for back-to-back victories in the seventh edition of the Global Junior Golf Tour event at Durbanville Golf Club.
In the double play-off, Nienaber denied Higgo when he drove his tee shot an incredible 355 metres to set up a birdie at the 18th hole, while Son edged out Macnab at the second extra hole.
Junior Boys’ Competition
Big-hitting Nienaber started out with a three-shot lead at eight under, over second-placed Higgo and it was a battle royal between the pair.
They traded the lead through the first nine holes, with Higgo making up ground with four birdies at one, three, five and six to go with a bogey four at the fourth.
The would-be-champion made a poor start and was two-over through three holes, courtesy of back-to-back bogeys at two and three. He birdied both par fives at five and six, but his lead at the turn was trimmed to a single shot.
Higgo kept the pressure up on the inward loop with consecutive birdies at 10 and 11 to seize the advantage. Western Province’s Luca Filippi had moved into contention in third place at five under, but the rest of the top-10 were left to watch, while battling out for bragging rights.
Higgo signed for a six under 66, while Nienaber, who birdied 15 and 16 to stay alive, signed for a 69. The top pair played outstanding golf and a play-off was a fitting ending to decide the outcome after both players tied at 11-under-par 205.
Nienaber’s power off the tee set him for the win at the first extra hole. His booming drive finished just short of the 18th green, while Higgo found the putting surface with his approach shot and was less than two meters from the cup. Nienaber left his slightly uphill putt for eagle short, but Higgo missed his downhill effort and the Bloemfontein golfer only had to step forward and tap-in for birdie to seal the win.
‘I’m stoked to have won,’ Nienaber said. ‘What a battle with Garrick. He played awesome golf and posted the best round of the tournament. I think patience over the three days got me over the line.’
Higgo, as always, was a gentleman in defeat. ‘Firstly, well done to Wilco, he played awesome golf and deserved the victory,’ said Higgo. ‘I gave it my best shot and am proud to have put up such a brave defence.’
Filippi finished alone in third on five-under-par 211 after closing with a two under 70.
Junior Girls’ Competition
For the first two days of the tournament plenty of wind made life difficult for the players, especially for the girls, who battled to beat par in Wednesday’s second round.
Macnab – a petite teenager, but with tremendous power off the tee – drew on the experiences of competing in four events on the Sunshine Ladies Tour to edge into the first round lead and began the final round with a two-shot cushion over Son.
She had never won a tournament before, but she more than held her own in terms of coming into the biggest tournament of its kind in Africa. The chance to lead from start to finish was there, but Macnab came up only one shot short after posting a two-over 74 with six bogeys and four birdies.
Son battled to find rhythm over the first two rounds, but the country’s top ranked junior hung in bravely with much riding on the outcome.
Also small in stature, the defending champion played in the final grouping for the day and made it count, putting Macnab under pressure from the start. She never gave in in the face of adversity and made a fist of it by posting an even-par 72 with two birdies and two bogeys.
The pair – who both celebrated their 15th birthdays on 18 February – tied at one-over-par 217, but Son complete a successful defence in her sixth appearance with a par on their second trip down the 18th in the play-off.
‘I’m so chuffed right now,’ said Ju-Son. ‘Somehow I was able to stay in contention without playing my best golf and it was good enough at the end. Caitlyn played great throughout and she should be very proud of her performance.’
Macnab paid tribute to Woo. ‘To win for the second year in a row is an amazing achievement. She played well when it mattered most. I didn’t play well today and paid the price. I’m really disappointed, but that’s the way it goes,’ she said.
Jihye Park from Australia carded a 73 to complete the podium with a total score of two over 218.
Pictures of champions Nienaber and Son courtesy of Shaun Roy/Image SA
Boys Competition – Final Result (abbreviated scores)
205 Wilco Nienaber 69 67 69 (play-off, first extra hole)
205 Garrick Higgo 69 70 66;
211 Luca Filippi 71 70 70
214 Jayden Schaper 72 70 72; Samuel Simpson 69 75 70
216 Alexandre Lasalarie FRA 67 75 74
217 Dehan Joubert 75 68 74; Franklin Manchest 72 76 69; Robin Williams GBR 72 73 72; Roman Kumpost CZE 71 74 72
218 David Amm ZIM 71 72 75
221 Janco Joel Maritz 76 72 73; Ayden Senger 75 75 71; Nicolai Rogen Jensen DEN 75 73 73; Martin Vorster 73 76 72; Liam Cloete 73 74 74; Jason Shaun Hale 73 74 74; Sebasian Wiis DEN 70 76 75
222 Dandre Spies 75 75 72; Oliver Goldhill 71 73 78
223 Chris Woollam 74 75 74; Alex van Wyk 74 71 78; Warwick Purchase 73 74 76; Shaun Jones 70 79 74
224 Kieron van Wyk 76 74 74; Jordan Duminy 75 73 76; Andre Chong SIN 74 77 73; Carlo Heunis 74 76 74; Brandon Geere 70 78 76
225 Cole Stevens 77 76 72; Joshua Smedema 75 74 76; Liam van Deventer 74 79 72; Barend Botha 72 74 79
226 Luke Pienaar 78 74 74; Xander Prinsloo 75 72 79; Angus Klintworth 73 75 78; Jakub Hrinda 72 82 72; Christiaan Burke 72 79 75
227 Hilmi Mallick 81 73 73; Tyler Duncan AUS 77 76 74; Adam Samnegård SWE 75 79 73; Nikhil Rama 75 77 75
228 Jens Christian Tvergaard DEN 78 79 71; Nikhil Gopal 73 78 77
229 Felix Krammer GER 77 79 73; Felix Schoeffthaler AUT 77 76 76
230 Loic Heurtin FRA 79 75 76; Ben van Wyk 77 80 73; Sascha Derp AUT 77 77 76; Justin Kersten ZIM 74 76 80; Hampus Björkman SWE 73 80 77
231 Aidon Willemse 78 78 75; Carl Mwale 76 78 77; Ian Botha 76 76 79; Lisanthan Moodley 72 81 78
232 Freddie Spencer 77 80 75
233 Nash de Klerk 78 78 77; Thomas Heaton AUS 75 82 76
234 NJ Botha 80 76 78; Daniel Cronje 76 80 78; Antoine Sale 74 79 81; Liam Millard 73 82 79
235 Titouan Berny 77 80 78
Girls Competition – Final Result (abbreviated scores)
217 Woo-Ju Son 72 73 72; Caitlyn Macnab 68 75 74
218 Jihye Park AUS 71 74 73
225 Greta Minetto ITA 72 76 77
226 Cloe Grand 77 75 74; Cecilie B.S Nielsen DEN 74 74 78
228 Rhianna-Maree Lewis AUS 74 81 73
232 Nicole Polivchak POL 77 80 75
234 Laila Hrindova 79 78 77
235 Casandra Hall 80 80 75; Kaiyuree Moodley 76 78 81; Anna Höybye Schmidt DEN 75 83 77
236 Chiara Contomathios 75 80 81
237 Kaleigh Telfer 79 82 76; Kiera Floyd 74 83 80
240 Crystal Beukes 79 81 80; Cara Ford 77 80 83
241 Dorota Zalewska POL 82 79 80
242 Eva-Lucia Lindner GER 81 83 78; Kelsey Nicholas 80 84 78
243 Nikoline Brenøe-Mouritzen DEN 83 79 81; Marie-Louise Tommerup DEN 80 82 81
244 Jordan Rothman 83 82 79
245 Annemieke Campo NED 83 82 80
247 Jahaanvie Walia ZAM 88 81 78; Lisa Marie Schumacher GER 83 80 84; Sophie-Charlott Hempel GER 79 84 84
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