Luca Filippi takes Southern Cape Open title in fine style
Luca Filippi from Western Province fired a final round three-under-par 69 last Sunday to win the Southern Cape Open Golf Championship, supported by the Western Province Department of Sport, at Plettenberg Bay Country Club.
Local favourite Nicholas Mitchell carded rounds of 72, 70, 71 and 72 to tie for sixth on three under with Jordan Duminy from the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy and Tyron Davidowitz from Boland.
Filippi, the GolfRSA National Squad Player, beat fellow Western Province golfer Ayden Senger by four strokes to win with a 72-hole total of nine under 279. He took the 36-hole lead with rounds of 70 and 68 and carded a third round of 72 to carry a two-shot advantage into the final round.
At the first and third holes he overturned bogeys with birdies at four and seven to stay ahead of the chasing pack through the turn. Having surrendered another shot at the par three 13th, the Milnerton golfer rallied with three birdies on the bounce from 14 and finished with a flourish, rolling in a birdie putt at the final hole.
"It was a tournament of all seasons this year," said the 19-year-old. "The course was pretty wet to start with after they had 70mm rain before we arrived, and we had a three-hour suspension due to more rain in Friday's first round. We managed to finish and I started the second round two shots behind Ivan Williams, who opened with a great 68. We had good weather on Saturday and I played really nicely, making five birdies to pull two shots clear.
“On Sunday morning, the wind showed up and my putter was pretty cold. I had three birdies, but I gave three shots back to the field. Seven guys shot 69, but I still had a two-shot lead going into the final round.
“The wind also died down a bit. I struck the ball well and turned level par. We were all shaken when Ivan's nephew, who caddied for him, suffered an epileptic fit on the back nine and had to be taken to hospital. Ivan was rattled and it was a bit of a struggle to get back into a rhythm, but we pressed on. Luckily the putter heated up over the last five holes and I could pull it through."
Ekurhuleni junior Yurav Premlall, who will also join the action at the Golf Club Biella le Betulle in Italy, also showed some great form with two 70s and two 72s that netted him a share of fourth on four-under alongside Kyle de Beer from Eastern Province.