Schaper takes fourth spot at NOoM

Local junior golf prodigy Jayden Schaper finished in the top four places during the Nomads Inland National Order of Merit (NOoM) One, held at Benoni Country Club (BCC) last week.

Ebotse Links and Ekurhuleni Junior Golf Union player Jayden Schaper (15).

Reigning Nomads South Africa Boys’ u-17 champion, Wilco Nienaber, held his nerve to edge out Slade Pickering from North West for the first title on the 2017 national junior circuit, on Thursday, January 5.

Leaving himself with a lot to do at the final hole at BCC, the 16-year-old from Bloemfontein holed a crunch putt for bogey to capture a one-shot victory in the NOoM.

“That was the most pressure I ever felt over a putt,” said the relieved youngster after he closed with a 69, to triumph on nine-under-par 207.

“Slade and I both hit it in the water at 18 – and when I duffed my six-iron out of the long grass and finished 20 meters short of the green, I thought it was over.

“Slade was on the green for four and I overshot the pin, but he missed his par putt, which left me with a three meter putt for bogey to win.

“The relief I felt when that putt dropped, was incredible.”

The 2017 Nomads Inland National Order of Merit winner, Wilco Nienaber (right), receives his trophy from Nomads representative, Mike Fick, at the Benoni Country Club. Photo: Ernest Blignaut

The event, which was called the Doctor Bam Tournament until last year, is for junior players (under-19) and is part of NOoM tournaments held across the country.

The best players from 14 unions across the country competed in the two-day tournament, which was held at BCC for the second consecutive year.

Neil Homann, golf manager at Golf RSA (previously South African Golf Association), was happy with the way the event turned out, saying the weather and BCC’s greens were favourable for game-play.

“There’s no handicap in the NOoM; they all play on equal terms, with the same tees,” Homann said.