Yes, the slender 16-year-old from Morehill, who plays out of Ebotse Links, still has a long way to go to emulate the legendary Gary Player, but his name will go into the annals of South African golf history all the same as the first junior to win all four Nomads South Africa Boys’ titles.
Schaper won the u-13 championship in 2012, the u-15 title in 2016 and in April, to become just the fourth junior to achieve the rare double when he lifted both the Nomads SA Boys u-19 Stroke Play and Match Play Championship titles.
On Wednesday, July 12, he completed an unprecedented Nomads SA Boys Grand Slam when he claimed the Nomads SA Boys Under-17 Championship at Rustenburg Golf Club.
“This is very, very special,” Schaper said after he closed with a final round 69 to defeat Martin Vorster from Southern Cape by one stroke on 11-under-par 205.
“I represented South Africa three times, I won the u-19 double, won my second Sunshine Tour Junior Series title and a junior event, and I just heard that I have been selected for South Africa to play the Fellowship Cup Test against India in August.
“I’ve ticked a lot of boxes this year, but winning all four Nomads SA Boys titles is the most special of all.
“People say it’s a dream come true at these things and it is for me.
“I have wanted to win the ‘Grand Slam’ ever since I won the u-13 title.
“It’s been a goal for five years and I am just so stoked,” he stated.
Schaper opened his bid with rounds of 69 and 65 and carried a two-shot lead into the final round over Vorster from the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Academy, in Mossel Bay.
“I didn’t feel any pressure coming into the final round, because I’m good at shutting that stuff out,” he said.
“Once I’m on the golf course, I just play.
“The only time I felt some nerves was standing on the 18th tee, but it was all positive. It was like I’d run the marathon and I could see the finish line.”
Schaper gained momentum with birdies at three and four, but Vorster kept pace with a trio of birdies from the fourth.
The pair tied at eight-under after Schaper bogeyed five and Vorster birdied eight.
“I knew Martin would come at me hard, but I was prepared for it,” said Schaper.
“We are great mates, but when we’re competing against each other, we don’t give an inch.
“I wanted him to chase, because I love to play under pressure.
“He played really well, but he struggled with the putter.
“If a few more putts dropped, who knows?
“He fought right up to the last putt.”
Schaper opened up a three-shot lead with a birdie at 11 after Vorster bogeyed nine and 10.
The Pinnacle Point golfer birdied 16 and 18, but it was too little too late.
“The fairways and greens are hard in the winter and you get some strange bounces or the ball rolls through the fairway,” said Schaper.
“You just have to take it on the chin and fight for pars.
“Besides the bogey on the front nine, I kept a clean card, but I had a couple of awkward bounces and I had to make quite a few up-and-downs to save par.”
Like the eighth, where his tee-shot kicked right and settled among the trees.
He punched a low four-iron through a gap and cleared the hazard, but the ball pitched on the green and rolled down the other side, leaving Schaper with a 50-feet chip.
“It was downhill all the way to the pin, but I chipped to five feet and got the birdie,” he said.
“I hit a three-iron at 11 that finished just off the fairway on the left.
“I had 185 metres to the flag and I hit a two-inch, grip-down lob-wedge to five feet and made the birdie to go 11 under.”
Six holes later, Schaper stood on the 18th tee with a two-shot lead.
“Martin hit a great tee shot down the middle, but I over-committed and hit my drive into the trees left.
“I had 121 metres to the pin with a tree in the way and water in front.
“I hit a low hook and the ball pitched on the green, leaving me with a 25-footer for birdie.
“Martin hit his approach to five feet.
“I had to start my putt five feet right of the hole and it stopped about a foot-and-a-half left of the hole.
“Martin boxed his birdie putt and I knew I had to make mine to win.
“I putted well all day and I took that positive feeling into the last putt and nailed it.
“This one is for my parents (Ryan and Yolanda) for all their support and for always keeping me positive and for my coach and my rock, Grant Veenstra.”
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