Rare double for South Coast golfers at Champion of Champions
Two of the province's top golfers broke their duck at the prestigious tournament.
GAVIN Sole (Southbroom Golf Club) and Lizzie Currie (Port Shepstone Country Club) had the tree planting honours on Sunday evening, following victories in the annual Champion of Champions golf tournament, sponsored by Renasa Insurance, played traditionally at Kloof Country Club.
For Gavin (46), it was a big monkey off his back, as he has had numerous visits to Kloof and had more runner-up finishes than Greg Norman in the Majors.
He fired a five under par 65 on the Saturday, and then hinted at some nerves when the SuperSport cameras rolled into town on Sunday morning.
“That was quite intense, being filmed. I had an interview before the round and I was calm. Then I got to the putting green and pulled out the putter. Suddenly the butterflies arrived. I was thinking ‘why am I so nervous?” said Gavin.
He closed with a 74 to edge in ahead of Malcolm Mitchell (Kloof CC) who made a birdie on the last hole for a 69 to follow a 71, making Sole sweat it out a bit longer.
“Maybe it’s wanting to win so badly. Last year I also started well before fading on the Sunday. This year I just hung in there a bit harder,” he said.
In his speech he said he was relieved to get the monkey off his back.
“Today the monkey was Malcolm, fortunately he is quite light,” he said, with Malcolm enjoying the joke.
“I have basically been trying to win this for 20 years. It’s a big thing. Getting in is never guaranteed. Ivan Curlewis told me it took him 25 years to win one,” said Sole.
“Some good players have won it like Tim Clark… and Derek James (Southbroom pro) mentioned to me that he has a tree or two planted at Kloof so I was feeling the pressure,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lizzie (22) showed real grit in winning the title for the first time. “I really wasn’t expecting this,” she said, shooting 75 and 81.
She was in a car accident on July 3 and probably shouldn’t have played, having sustained some injuries, with stitches only coming out recently.
“I was a bit tender and sore afterwards, but I felt fine and enjoyed the golf,” she said.
Her start on Sunday was nerve-induced, when she sprayed her tee shot out of bounds.
“The interviews and all that did rattle me a bit, but I still managed to make six,” she laughed afterwards.
She was second last year and so was pleased to have improved on that this year.
Runner-up was 13-year-old Senayah Moodliar of Umhlali Country Club. Definitely one to keep an eye on!
Lizzie’s clubmate Graham Fabricius had a good run, scoring 73 and 71 for a tie for fourth position.
Sean Baker, representing Margate, was consistent with a pair of 74s.
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