Jack Buchanan dominated the field at Royal Johannesburg to cruise to a six-stroke victory in the third edition of the Africa Amateur Championship.
The 21-year-old South African tamed the venue’s famed East Course with a total of 21-under-par 267 to finish ahead of countrymen Ivan Verster, who was also runner-up at Leopard Creek two years ago, Charl Barnard and J.L. “Dewan” de Bruin, who smashed the championship record in the final round with a magnificent 12-under-par 60. All three finished tied for second on a 15-under-par total of 273.
“It feels great to get the job done,” Buchanan said. “Any time you win, it’s really good, but to win a championship of this calibre it really means a lot to me. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it feels unreal to get into the events that you get into by winning this. Royal Johannesburg has been a great host this week and the course has been in unreal condition.”
Buchanan qualified for the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale, and earned exemptions into The Amateur Championship, the Alfred Dunhill Championship, the Investec South African Open and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq.
“I believe the first Open that I went to was at Royal Birkdale in 2017,” he added. “So to go back somewhere I was a kid watching not too long ago is going to be really special. Kevin Na gave me a golf ball that he got a hole-in-one with in a practice round. Rickie Fowler gave me a signed glove.”
Buchanan, who hails from Cape Town, continued a rich vein of form in the final round, going out in 33 courtesy of birdies at the third and eighth either side of a superb eagle at the par-5 sixth. Two birdies on the final stretch saw him sign for a 5-under-par 67 and lift the first elite amateur championship trophy of his promising career.
Verster, who led after day one, attempted to put some early pressure on Buchanan at the start of the final round with an opening birdie. However, any momentum was halted when he dropped two shots on the following hole with a double bogey.
A run of five birdies in nine holes was brought to a halt with another double at the 17th, but the 22-year-old bounced back with a birdie at the last to finish the day with a 3-under-par 69.
While Verster’s challenge faltered, Barnard and de Bruin surged up the leaderboard – de Bruin with the lowest round of the week. The teenager managed 10 birdies on Saturday, almost aced the par-3 12th and finished his round by draining a huge eagle putt on the 18th to vault into second place.
Barnard finished the day with a brilliant bogey-free 9-under-par 63, highlighted by three birdies in a row towards the turn and four birdies on the way home.
RESULTS
In the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational, played concurrently at Royal Johannesburg, Lisa Coetzer secured a two-shot victory over fellow South African Lourenda Steyn.
Coetzer, who finished third last year, led after the first two rounds and triumphed on the final day with a level-par total of 216, completing a wire-to-wire victory in the process.
The 15-year-old endured a tricky start to her final round with a double bogey on the par-3 second and, despite recovering well with six consecutive pars and a birdie to close out the front nine, she trailed Steyn as they made their way down the final stretch. Coetzer continued to apply the pressure, eventually regaining the lead after Steyn found trouble on the 15th, before closing out the win on the final two holes with back-to-back birdies.
Coetzer earned starts in the Women’s Amateur Championship, final qualifying for the AIG Women’s Open, plus the Joburg Ladies Open, The Investec South African Women’s Open and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq.
“Winning means the world,” said Coetzer. “I’ve been working really hard to win this event because you get into so many tournaments that could give me so much recognition for what I want to do in the future. I don’t think it’s really kicked in yet, but I’m really happy.”
Steyn also played sensational golf throughout the final round, carding a one-under-par round of 71. Birdies on the first and fifth, followed by an outstanding eagle on the eighth, gave her the lead, but the 16-year-old, who was making her debut at the event this year, was eventually overtaken by Coetzer after a wayward approach shot on the 15th led to a double bogey.
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For more information on the Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational please visit www.randa.org.
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