Wilco Nienaber made good on his status as favourite, albeit deep into the contest as he claimed the SA Amateur title after an intense battle with Jordan Duminy on Friday.
Nienaber entered the clash as the top-ranked amateur with a number of titles to his name, but that had little effect on the psyche of Pinnacle Point youngster Jordan Duminy as the contest went down to the very last hole.
In fact, the 16-year-old was two-up through 14 holes after his eagle at the par-5 14th and looking comfortable. Two birdies from his Bloemfontein GC opponent saw the contest head into the second loop of 18 all square in a high-quality affair which saw both players shoot 68 around King David Mowbray.
The layout has seen its fair share of hard-fought matches, and this one proved to be no different.
Duminy was once again two-up after a birdie at the first and a bogey from Nienaber three holes later before the eventual winner reduced the margin to one with a run of birdie, birdie, bogey, birdie.
Nienaber drew level on the 29th hole with a par, but once again trailed his less illustrious foe after Duminy birdied the short 13th.
Having never been ahead in the contest, Nienaber matched Duminy’s birdie on the 14th before both bogeyed the next.
A birdie 3 on 17, the same number recorded in the first dip around in the morning, sent the pair all square down the last.
It was Duminy who blinked first with a bogey that allowed Nienaber to walk away with the 1UP win, the prestigious title and the openings that it represents.
‘I made birdie at 11 (28) to square; he birdied 13 (31) to go 1-up again,’ Nienaber said. ‘That was the story of the day. When I saw his drive finish short at 17 (35), I went for the green. I hit 4-iron front edge, lagged the eagle putt give and birdied to square the match. It was now or never.’
Duminy had a birdie chance from 10 foot, but his putt missed the mark.
‘It may have looked as if I didn’t break a sweat, but my heart was racing a few times, especially when I gave a hole away coming down the home stretch,’ Nienaber said after he closed out the victory with a par at the last.
‘I hit it into the trees left and Jordan was in the trees right. We both had tough shots to the green with the flag on the left near the water. I managed to work it on the green. Jordan was in the really thick stuff and he caught a flier that went straight and finished under a cart. He had to chip in and he missed his par putt. I gave that last putt everything I had.
‘Jordan never gave an inch. He never gave me a chance to pounce, but my own game didn’t allow for it to happen either. I really had to work for this one. I’m absolutely ecstatic.’
In addition to the amateur world golf ranking points he earns with this victory, Nienaber will get another stab at the Freddie Tait Trophy with a start in the South African Open Championship later this year.
But first, he has the South African Stroke Play Championship at De Zalze Golf Club next week on his mind. ‘I came so close last year, going five-under in the final round, but I just couldn’t catch Oliver Gilberg. I ended up finishing third, so I will enjoy this for a bit and switch my focus to the SA Stroke Play. More than anything, I would love to win the double.’
