Glendower’s Premlall tees 2019 off with a good start
“That first win in Worcester opened the door. It gave me a lot of confidence, self-belief and it changed my mindset.”
Ekurhuleni junior golfer Yurav Premlall picked up right where he left off last year when he won the season-opening Nomads National Order of Merit Coastal.
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The 15-year-old Glendower golfer took victory on January 4 and collected his fourth trophy at the Umhlali Country Club.
He won by three shots on one-under-par 212 after posting rounds of 77, 67 and 68.
Premlall lagged eight off the pace after the first round, but a putter change brought a change in fortune.
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“I put my old Odyssey putter back in the bag, and immediately putted with more confidence in the second round,” he said.
Premlall fired six birdies in round two and reduced the gap on 36-hole leader Marcus Taylor to three shots.
However, two quick birdies at the second and third boosted him to the top of the final round leader board.
“The wind was really strong; a 3-club to 4-club wind at times, so you had to leave the driver in the bag because it’s such a tight layout,” said Premlall.
“I hit a 2-iron down the middle at the second, a gap-wedge to 25 foot and sunk a pretty long one for birdie. I went with 2-iron at the third as well, but I pulled it slightly. I had a gap in the trees though, so I hit a sand-wedge from 130 to a foot and a half.”
That took him to level and he hit red figures for the first time with his third gain at the par-five fifth.
He took advantage of the wind at the tenth hole and cemented his lead with an eagle at the par-five.
Premlall sealed his second title on the national junior circuit with three straight pars.
The GolfRSA National Squad player enjoyed his first success on the national junior circuit with his breakthrough victory in the Cape Town Junior Open on the Sunshine Tour Junior Series in October.
Two weeks later, he won the Gauteng North Silver Salver on the Open Amateur circuit and underlined his blossoming talent with his second Open Amateur win in the Central Gauteng Open.
In December, Premlall won the South African Open Qualifier at Johannesburg Country Club, becoming the youngest amateur to qualify for the national championship.
He was also the youngest to make the cut and finished the weekend in a tie for 43rd overall.
“That first win in Worcester opened the door. It gave me a lot of confidence, self-belief and it changed my mindset,” said Premlall.
Premlall said since he lifted that first trophy, he doubts himself less and has gained confidence in his abilities.
“Of course, you won’t win everything, but you believe you can every time you tee it up. That’s been the difference.”
Meanwhile Royal Johannesburg and Kensington junior Kian Rose followed successive rounds of 71 with a final round 73 to take the second position on two-over.
Top five golfers of the tournament were:
• Yurav Premlall – 77 67 68.
• Kian Rose – 71 71 73.
• Ryan van Velzen – 71 74 71.
• Tyran Snyders 76 69 72.
• Jordan Duminy 72 70 75.
