Leopard Creek, South Africa: Bryan Newman of South Africa won the Africa Amateur Championship, cruising to a two-shot victory over Zimbabwe’s Keegan Shutt.
Thanks to his victory in the second staging of the championship, Newman earns an exemption into The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush as well as places in The Amateur Championship, the Alfred Dunhill Championship, The Investec South African Open and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq.
The 17-year-old began the day at Leopard Creek with a five-shot lead over compatriot Roelof Craig and knew that someone from the chasing pack would have to make a serious run to challenge him.
A dropped shot at the third opened the door a little to Newman’s rivals but a birdie three at the sixth helped steady the nerves before another shot was lost at the ninth. Newman moved up a gear with a 20-foot birdie putt at the 10th and another birdie at the 13th gave him a cushion which meant he could afford bogeys at the 16th and 17th.
Newman laid up his second shot at the 18th and played a safe approach over the water to the left side of the green leaving himself a comfortable two putts to claim the Africa Amateur trophy with an eight-under-par total of 280.
Newman said, “It feels really amazing. It’s so special. To do it here at Leopard Creek makes it even more special. I definitely felt nervous down the last but I was just trying to make a lot of pars out there, which I did. I made a couple of mistakes down the stretch, but luckily I had enough of a cushion.
“(On being exempt for The Open) It’s really exciting. I can’t wait. I’m really looking forward to it.
“It's such a privilege playing here at Leopard Creek, definitely the best course in South Africa, maybe in Africa as well, but it’s also special playing with all the other players around.”
Shutt was two shots to the good by the seventh tee but a triple-bogey on the par-three checked his momentum. Shutt kept up the chase with four birdies on the back nine but he had left himself with too much to do and his six-under-par total left him in second place.
Shutt said, “A little bit of disappointment. I don’t think I’m going to forget that triple on the seventh for a while. I think that’s where I lost. I’m very happy the way I fought back these last two days. I think I played very good golf. Apart from seven, I played really well the last two days. It could have gone another way if I had made par or even bogey. Anyways, it’s golf. It happens.
“Well done to Bryan. I tried to make a late charge on him. I came in with some birdies but he managed to hold it together and he finished strong. Really well done to him.”
Craig was two-under for the day at the turn and threatening to rein in the leader but a bogey at the 10th and a double-bogey at the 11th ended his hopes. He gave it one last shot when he went for the green with his second shot at the 18th but found the water and could only finish with a bogey-six. Craig was later administered a two-shot penalty for brushing the sand in a bunker on his backswing at the 12th and finished at two-under-par for the championship.
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Kruger National Park, the Africa Amateur Championship provides a world-class platform for the region’s rising talent to compete on the international stage.
Rolex is an event partner of the Africa Amateur Championship and is committed to supporting The R&A’s professional and amateur championships, including the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific.
