Rhys Enoch timed his run to perfection as he held his nerve down the stretch to edge Peter Karmis for the Cape Town Open title, writes WADE PRETORIUS at King David Mowbray.
‘I thought it had faded away for me when Peter Karmis got to 21 under,’ he said with the crystal trophy in hand.
After opening with two bogeys and dropping another at the 7th, he made the turn level for the day, hardly an indicator that he was to be the chief protagonist in the drama that would unfold over the next two hours.
And despite an eagle on the 14th, the Welshman almost played himself out of contention on the short 16th hole. His tee shot missed the green and found an iffy lie in the rough. His chip ran out past the cup, leaving him his first make-or-break moment.
It was make as he fistbumped the air in delight.
‘It was huge. If I miss that putt then I’ve got no chance.’
Enoch dropped one behind with a bogey on the penultimate hole, leaving him with plenty to do down the 18th.
‘I was just trying to keep ticking away. I was doing my best to not really think about it, then I eagle 14 and get to 15 green and see all of a sudden I’m leading. It all changed so quickly and then in the end, I knew I needed to at least par but really birdie 18 to have a chance.’
And birdie it was after a magnificent 8-iron to three feet set up the birdie that would see him post -19 – one better than Karmis could manage.
‘I had 195 yards; the wind was supposed to be down off the left but it kept flicking back. I wanted to hit it just right of the flag and it would drift back, maybe I’d have 30 foot and a look.
‘I pulled it about three yards and the wind didn’t touch it. I guess it’s just one of those miracle shots.’
Enoch was persuaded to try the Sunshine Tour in 2013 by agent Chubby Chandler and has really enjoyed himself in South Africa. More so now after his maiden win.
‘It all just spiraled from Q School back then to where we are now. I love the country, it’s absolutely beautiful and I enjoy my golf here.’
The Cape Town triumph has put a spanner in his diary as he is now likely to shelf plans to return home after the Tshwane Open with the Steyn City Championship and then the Tour Championship at Serengeti still on the calendar.
‘Things might change a little bit. My current flight is booked for after Tshwane’s pre-qualifier, so that’s definitely going to change now. It’s exciting, I have to see what I’m going to do about those new events.’
Before then, Tshwane takes primary focus with Enoch keen for another crack on a course that he enjoys.
‘I like the course and have good memories there from a few years back. I can’t wait to peg it up and see how it goes there.’
Whatever the result next week, Sunday afternoon at King David Mowbray was a defining moment in a career that’s only just begun.
Photo: Petri Oeschger/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images
