Nelson Mandela University student JP van der Watt shrugged off a lack of local knowledge to win the Humewood Golf Club championships by defeating Pieter Zietsman in the final in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.
The first-year B.Comm student has limited experience of the links layout and his semifinal on Sunday morning against Altin van der Merwe was only his fourth round at the club.
He had to overcome a shaky start in that matchplay encounter, but persevered to win 1-up.
“That was one of my worst rounds imaginable,” said the 19-year-old from George.
Madibaz golfer JP van der Watt was crowned the A division champion in the Humewood Golf Club championships in Port Elizabeth on Sunday. Photo: Supplied
“I think I hit a provisional [ball] off nearly every tee box early on and I was one down after six holes.
“For example, on the par-four fourth hole, I played to the green from the seventh fairway, but somehow I managed to hang in there.”
In contrast, he said the afternoon final against Zietsman saw him produce one of his best rounds of the year.
“Everything was just solid and I knew Pieter’s game was in a really good space, so I had to try to break him down with excellence of my own.
“I was able to find the fairways, hit solid approaches and make the putts.
“This helped me to turn four up, although it only really started on the par-three sixth. I made birdie there and then birdied the par-five seventh and the ninth.
“From four up with nine to play, you shouldn’t really lose, but I just want to give all the glory to God because I wouldn’t have been able to achieve anything without Him.”
In the B section final Gavin Hogg defeated Robbie Barnard 4/3, while the C division went to Francois Vermaak, who beat Colin Broadley 1-up.