Eastern Province golfer Kyle de Beer sealed a top-five finish at the Brabazon Trophy, while GolfRSA National Squad member Wilco Nienaber closed out a top-30 finish in the English Men’s Open Amateur Championship on Sunday.
After earlier rounds of 75 and 71, De Beer surged into the top 20 with a four-under-par 67 on moving day at the Alwoodley Golf Club. A final round 68 netted the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation member a share of fifth on three-under 281.
De Beer finished 10 strokes behind runaway winner Ben Schmidt.
The 16-year-old Yorkshire golfer, who won by five shots, became the youngest-ever winner of the prestigious championship, pipping Major winner Sandy Lyle, who was 17 when he won the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play.
De Beer reeled in four birdies on the outward loop, and he offset a bogey at 12 with a birdie at the par-four 16th.
‘Unfortunately I finished with a bogey, but that’s golf and you have to take the good with the bad,’ said the 21-year-old Port Elizabeth golfer. ‘The wind got up early on and the conditions were tough. We had a few downpours as well, which made it interesting.
‘I made a great start with birdies at five, six, seven and eight and went around the turn four-under. At the 12th I made a silly mistake and paid with a bogey. When I put my putter down, I wobbled over it. I didn’t take my time over the putt the second time, and missed.
‘I’m really happy with the way I finished, because this result earned me some much-needed world golf ranking points and I’m at the top of the reserve list for the St Andrews Links Trophy. I’ve had a great time with the GolfRSA National Squad guys here in Leeds, so I really hope I make the field at St Andrews next week.’
Bloemfontein’s Nienaber also reeled in four birdies in his outward loop, but gave three shots back before a final birdie at the par-four 16th saw him sign off with a final round 69. He finished in tie for 28th on two-over 286.
Credit: GolfRSA
