Jovan ends SA’s Royals drought
● Win seals Amateur double
Jovan Rebula became the first South African in more than half-a-century to break the curse of the Royals and win the 123rd Amateur Championship.
Rebula sealed the double for GolfRSA when he defeated Irishman Robin Dawson in the 36-hole final at Royal Aberdeen on Saturday, just four days after fellow GolfRSA National Squad player Wilco Nienaber became the first South African to take the Leading Amateur honour in the 36-hole stroke play qualifier.
Prior to Rebula’s triumph, Bobby Cole was the only South African to claim the coveted Amateur Championship title, winning at Carnoustie in 1966, and since then SA have lost out in four subsequent finals.
In 1980, David Suddards lost at Royal Porthcawl. Ben Fouchee lost at Royal Porthcawl in 1988, Trevor Immelman at Royal St George’s in 1997 and Zander Lombard at Royal Portrush in 2014.
With a combination of exquisite bunker shots, brilliant chips and a handful of clutch putts in windy conditions at the Balgownie Links, the 20-year-old Rebula ended the winning drought when he beat Dawson 3 and 2 – the same winning margin that won Bobby Cole the coveted trophy at Carnoustie in 1966.
The Auburn University student – who is the nephew of Ernie Els – earned a berth in The Open Championship at Carnoustie next month, as well as trips to the Masters and the US Open next year.