Schaper doubles up on SA Boys titles
Morehill resident and Ebotse Links golfer Jayden Schaper (14) captured a brilliant victory in the Nomads SA Boys U-15 Championship, on Friday, January 8.
While all the golfing attention was on the nine amateurs competing in the BMW South African Open, the Ekurhuleni player quietly delivered a champion’s performance at Fish River Sun Country Club.
Schaper won the Nomads SA Boys U-13 Championship in Nelspruit at the age of 11, and he braved a strong assault from another former SA Boys U-13 champion, Tristan Galant, at the Gary Player-designed championship course, to claim a three-stroke victory on an even-par 216.
The young club-swinger opened with a 73 to tie for second, one stroke behind Christo Lamprecht and one shot ahead of Galant.
He offset two bogeys with a pair of birdies in round two, to take the lead at one over 145, while Galant matched his even-par 72 to finish a stroke off the pace.
“I was pretty nervous at the start of the final round,” admitted Schaper.
“But, once I got my tee shot off down the middle of the first fairway, the nerves settled.
“My game plan was just to try and make par at every hole.”
The St Dunstan’s College pupil picked up his first birdie at the par-three fourth and was still flawless when he reached the turn.
Galant birdied the fifth, but a double bogey at six and a bogey at nine handed Schaper a four-shot lead heading into the last nine holes.
He dropped a shot at 11, but negated the drop with a birdie at the par-four 14th.
“I got a little too excited over the par putt at 11 and pushed it past the hole, but I sank a five-footer at 14 to get myself back to par for the round,” he said.
“Tristan made a great birdie at 16, but I managed to up-and-down for par after a visit to the bush and I still had a three-shot lead with two to play.
“I have to admit I was a little nervous at the 17th, but I made a solid par and just enjoyed playing the last hole.
“Tristan was on the green in two, but I hit a great five-iron to the middle of the green and had two putts for par to win.
“I am really stoked about this victory and I have to give my dad Ryan credit for all his support.
“I also want to thank my coach, Grant Veenstra, who works really hard with me to keep improving my game.”
