HAMPSON SETS HIS SIGHT ON IPT JUNIOR TEAM
MITCH Hampson had been hoping he’d make the junior team to play in the South African IPT in 2018. He didn’t and immediately set his sights on making the team this year.
The Umdoni Park youngster, who is in now in grade 11 at Westville Boys’ High, has started the year in superb fashion, winning twice during the holidays.
His first win was at Kloof CC where he won the Cameron Murray Memorial trophy, shooting a level par 70.
For those who don’t know, Murray died in 1989, two years after he had matriculated at Kearsney College, where he was comfortably the best golfer and also the first team hockey goalkeeper.
He played junior golf for the province, as did his younger brother Glen a few years later ... you may have seen him on TV caddying for Sergio Garcia!
As for Hampson, he felt he had struck the ball well all day, until the 18th where he hit a ‘bad iron’ about 20 metres short of the green.
“I managed to get up and down and in the back of my mind felt that was the shot that sealed the victory,” he said.
Scores: Mitch Hampson 70, Charlie Dell 72, Ethan Gough 72, Nathan Trodd 73, Matt Walters 75, Michael Sim 75, Ryan Welsh 76, Cade Cryer 76, Julian Daws 76, James Jarvis 77, Sanele Gugushe 78.
Sanele Gugushe won the B division on 78, by three from Olivia Wood.
Rory Bernadis won the Stableford on 37 points, by two from Dhiven Naidoo.
Hampson won again a few days later at Umkomaas Golf Club, clinching the Dr Willie Junior Champs title.
He shot one over par 71 to win, overcoming a quadruple bogey eight on the 11th hole.
“After 10 holes I was going along well but had a lapse of concentration which cost me an 8, which I thought had put me way out of contention. I managed to regroup and get two more birdies in the last seven holes to finish +1 for the day,” he said.
Scores: Mitch Hampson 71, Lindokuhle Mbokazi 74, Ayanda Gwala 75, James Jarvis 76, Jack Cubitt 76, Luke Cubitt 77, Nathan Trodd 79.
Keagan Homer won the B division on 81, by one from Nkankiso Phungula.
Stableford winner was Rory Bernadis again, on 32 points on a countout from Noah Rudwick.
The final competition for the holiday was the Natal Nomads Day, held at Durban Country Club’s Beachwood course, played as individual Stableford.
Ayanda Gwala found the format to his liking, carding 40 points to win by one from Caleb Fyvie.
Dian Wilmot was third on 36 points, followed by James Jarvis on 35 points.
Ayanda Gwala 40, Caleb Fyvie 39, Dian Wilmot 36, James Jarvis 35, Matthew Ackerman 34, Amy Fletcher 33, Michael Sim 32, Akhil Maduray 32, Matt Walters 30, Julian Daws 30.
Kairav Maduray won the B division on 38 points, one ahead of Nkanyiso Phungula, who in turn was three points ahead of Damien O’Connell 34.
In the C division, Rory Bernadis was denied a hat-trick by McCalyn Pillay, who carded 40 points to pip him by one.
Ryan Perumal also had 39 points.
Four players booked their spot in the Soutn African Amateur at the qualifier at Umlali CC last Sunday.
Sean Paxton (Victoria CC) led the way with 74, followed by Dylan Underwood (Kloof CC) on 75.
Nicholas Morgan (Rondebosch) and Charlie Dell (Cotswold Downs) didn’t play well, wih scores of 83 and 85 respectively, but did enough to get through.
Gavin Sole (Southbroom) won the Southern KZN Closed for about the fifth or sixth time, maybe seventh - no one is quite sure.
He carded 68 and 72 at San Lameer CC to win by four from Jason Gilliver (Umdoni Park), who had a pair of 72.
Jarrod van Wyk produced a tournament career-best, reigning in his usual go-for-broke style of play to return 75 and 74.
Talented junior Mitch Hampson was fourth on 74 and 76, with Sean Baker rounding out the top five on 82 and 70.