State Mines’ star does it again
Jarvis won the Nomads SA Boys U-13 Championship and the Dimension Data U-15 Challenge as a 12-year-old in 2015.
State Mines Country Club’s top junior, Casey Jarvis, underlined his status as one of South Africa’s emerging amateur talents when he claimed the Nomads SA Boys U-15 Championship in George, last week.
The GolfRSA National Squad player closed with an even-par 72 in the final round at Kingswood Golf Estate to celebrate a two-stroke victory on two-under-par 214.
After he went wire-to-wire in the English Boys U-14 Championship and won the SA U-15 Challenge at Gowrie Farm Golf Estate last year, the 14-year-old set his sights on the SA Boys U-15 Championship.
Jarvis is coached by Grant Veenstra, who also looks after the country’s number one ranked junior, Jayden Schaper.
It was Schaper who inspired the winning performance at Kingswood.
“I admire Jayden and when he became the first junior to win all four Nomads SA Boys titles, I made it my goal to replicate his Grand Slam,” said Jarvis.
“Last year I lost by one shot and this was the last year I could win, so I was really determined.
“I didn’t have a great start, but I worked really hard to get in front in the second round and I wasn’t going to lose.
“I played conservative golf and I didn’t fire at the pins.
“I just wanted to protect the lead to make sure I lifted the trophy.”
Also read: U-19 Ekurhuleni golfers claim historic victory
After an opening 74, Jarvis took control of the championship with a second round 68, beginning the final day with a two-shot advantage.
He birdied eight and 11 and was four under through 15 holes, but his flawless run came to an abrupt end after a three-putt bogey at the par-five 16th.
However, he drained a 10-foot birdie putt for one of the rare birdies of the day at par-four 17th to tee it up at the par-three closing hole with a four-shot lead.
“It definitely wasn’t a pretty finish,” said Jarvis.
“I think the adrenaline got the better of me, because I drove it right over the green.
“I teethed my chip out of the rough and just missed the bunker and then I duffed the second chip, too. I finally got it in the hole for five.
“I did the work early on to give myself a big cushion for those tough closing holes and it paid off. “Kingswood is a great course, but there is nowhere to hide.
“It was a tough week on a challenging course in tough conditions and I’m really proud that I won.
“Now I’m halfway to my own Grand Slam.”
Jarvis and two of his teammates who shared in Ekurhuleni’s triumph in the SA U-19 Inter-Provincial had further cause for celebration when Yurav Premlall and Nash de Klerk made it a one-to-three finish for the union.
Premlall closed with a 72 to finish in second on 216, while fellow Glendower golfer de Klerk grabbed a share of third on three-over 219 when he matched Rorisang Nkosi from North West Province with a final-round 69.
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