Barend Botha making waves in the USA

Donderdag 25 Februarie 2021

GEORGE - McKinlay Reid alumni and Southern Cape golfer Barend Botha is making waves in the USA. In only his second tournament at South Alabama's Mobile Bay Intercollegiate, he fired rounds of 68 and then 67 to finish seventh overall in a tournament.

This was such a notable achievement for a freshman that he was awarded golfer of the week for the NCAA D1 Mid American Conference (MAC).

National recognition in the George boykie’s only second college event is quite an achievement, says

Adam McKinlay, head of sport at McKinlay Reid.

"Botha's excellent performance further serves to demonstrate the strength of junior golf in the Southern Cape and the truly lifechanging

Sportredakteur: Hugo Redelinghuys education opportunities that golf provides for the youth of our area."

The tournament featured several nationally ranked programmes and was held at the par-72, 7,212-yard Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course. Botha, who tied for seventh place with a career-low six-under par 210 (75-68-67), opened his day on hole no. 6 and birdied five of six holes, starting at no. 11, to get to five-under. He then eagled the par-four, 540yard no. 4 hole before doublebogeying his final hole of the day. Sophomore NJ Botha finished two shots behind his younger brother with a fourunder par 210, good for a 14th-place tie.

E-pos: sport@groupeditors.co.za

In only his second tournament he finished seventh overall.