San Lameer Open title number 11 for Big Fish

Gavin Sole (Southbroom GC) has won the San Lameer Open for the 11th time, showing once again that age (52) is just a number as he accumulates title after title.

He did raise a sweat – who didn’t on such a hot day – thanks to one or two very strange shots and he was also the beneficiary of a very generous finish by Matt Sutherland.

The Big Fish scored 71 and 73. He felt it was one of those days where he didn’t necessarily play his best golf but that it was still enough to win.

The 13th hole in the afternoon proved to be critical. He took a driver off the tee but felt it was too much club and tried to swing softly.

The result was that he almost missed the ball, striking the turf and sending the ball scuttling into the water in front of him.

After taking a drop, he clipped a 4-iron up the fairway, leaving himself with a 3-wood into the breeze to get the green.

The strike was inglorious, almost as bad as the tee shot, a shank that had his playing partners gaping open-mouthed in shock as the ball ended up on the 18th fairway.

But then, in true champion style, he got up-and-down for one of the best bogeys of his life.

There were no more dramas after that but Sutherland, who was playing well, reached the last hole needing a birdie to win.

He had lipped out on the 17th but still, a par would have meant a playoff.

His tee shot was in the rough in an ‘iffy’ lie. His second shot came out to the right and ended up in the dam, watched by Sole who had played in the game ahead.

It was a disappointing way to finish for him, but still a good effort overall.

Cyprian Xolo (Southbroom) had a good morning round of 72, and kept it respectable in the afternoon with 77, to secure third place.

Bulelani Ngilandi (Port Shepstone) who caddies at San Lameer, was fourth, scoring 78 and 72.

Jan McDermott (Umdoni Park) was fifth on steady scores of 75 and 76.

Jean-Marc Bouic (Southbroom) was sixth on a pair of 77s, in an uncharacteristically inconsistent day which included nine birdies, several double drops and too many three-putts.

B Division honours went to Vusi Maphumulo (Port Shepstone) on 76 points, counting out Kevin Feinberg (Southbroom).

The tournament was held in conjunction with the Southern KZN Closed.

LEADING SCORES
144 Gavin Sole 71 73
146 Matt Sutherland 73 73
149 Cyprian Xolo 72 77
150 Bulelani Ngilandi 78 72
151 Jan McDermott 75 76
154 Jean-Marc Bouic 77 77
158 Koos Jacobs 79 79
159 Robert Mavundla 81 78
161 Elvis Khawula 83 78
164 Khosi Mthiyane 83 81
170 Sydney Shingange 89 81
170 Cameron Olivant 81 89

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