Ken Borland

GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – For Scott Keevy, who describes himself as “an avid golfer” the final round of the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series Humewood Pro-Am was all about building towards the Stroke 1 eighth hole on the famous old links course.

The six-handicapper from down the road, relatively speaking, at the St Francis Links, managed to birdie the daunting 455-yard hole and the four points he and Merrick Bremner gained was their best score of the second day. It proved critical because their winning margin at the end of the Pro-Am was just one point over Lyle Rowe and Adrian Kemp.

“We started on the third hole and we battled early on but Merrick kept us going. And then on the eighth, the Stroke 1, I hit a big drive, a nine-iron and then I managed to sink a 15-footer for birdie and four points!

“And then when the rain hit, we were busy playing into an Easterly and I managed to get a par on the 15^th when my pro finally required my help again. But Merrick and I dovetailed very well and he was my number one choice as a partner. I remember meeting him when I caddied for Titch Moore once and I know Merrick won here and I love the way he plays and his interaction with his partners,” Keevy said.

Keevy is one of those sporting all-rounders, having played second division football for Callies and Masters squash, but his passion for golf goes back several years.

“Ours is a sporting family, I am one of three brothers and we basically played anything from table tennis to golf and all with the same competitiveness. Ryan Reid is a first cousin and the real star golfer in the family, he played on the European Tour and is now director of sport at Fancourt. I’m a self-taught golfer so I have a big hook, but I make it work for me.

“This Vodacom Origins of Golf Series is just an unbelievable experience for us, I have played in them for many years but it’s the first time I’ve won a tournament, having been to the finals on the odd occasion. The way Vodacom spoils us and the way they make us feel – it’s unsurpassed,” Keevy said.

The personal touch is something all businesses should strive for and building contacts between people is one of the key elements of the Vodacom Origins of Golf Pro-Am Series.

That the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series has built up considerable networks and lives up to its mantra of being Always Connected has been borne out this year by the arrival of another company famous for their customer experience and engagement skills – Momentum Metropolitan – as one of the series partners.

This week’s event at Humewood Golf Club will be the fourth with Momentum as partners and Carel Bosman, the financial services company’s Head of Sponsorships and Events, has been delighted with how well their involvement is going.

“We only recently entered the Vodacom Origins of Golf fold and it really is the ideal sporting platform, we’re already starting to engage and build connectivity with so many people. The series is pretty unique in that you have amateurs playing with the professionals and it has been incredibly positive for us being involved from the start of the season.

“We’ve been sending different internal stakeholders from our various business units to play in the events, and it has been a very positive experience for us as a corporate. We will certainly be looking to do more as Vodacom and Commissioner Thomas Abt and the Sunshine Tour are putting together some stunning properties. The Vodacom Origins of Golf Series has been going for so long, since 2004, and we feel privileged to be involved,” Bosman said.

Momentum’s investment in cricket, especially the women’s game, has been one of the success stories of the South African sports industry space, and Bosman had nothing but praise for Vodacom’s tremendous achievements with the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series.

“The Vodacom Origins of Golf Series has been a success for so long that you simply have to acknowledge what Vodacom have done. It’s been wonderful to meet their team at a regional level and sport really needs sponsors to do these sort of things. And Vodacom have obviously seen value in their strategy to stay involved for so long. What they have done has been incredible and hats off to them, long may it continue!” Bosman said.

While the Sharks team will certainly miss their nine Springboks who are away in the national camp in Bloemfontein, the fact that they will still field a very competitive outfit for the Currie Cup, as shown in the squad chosen to open their campaign against Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday, indicates that coach Sean Everitt has hit the bullseye when it comes to building the franchise’s depth.

Star flyhalf Curwin Bosch may be resting, but hooker Fez Mbatha and scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse were part of the Springboks’ alignment camps, the old second-row pairing of Ruben van Heerden and Hyron Andrews has been reunited, and James Venter, Thembelani Bholi and the in-form Phepsi Buthelezi comprise an excellent loose trio. Centres Marius Louw and Jeremy Ward are a seasoned combination and Springbok Sevens star Werner Kok is on the wing.

“The Preparation Series was a massive boost for us because we were able to juggle two teams, which showed we had confidence in all the players and we were able to look after the guys who have a massive load. In the last year, guys like Fez Mbatha, JJ van der Mescht, Phepsi Buthelezi and Jaden Hendrikse have all come through and had opportunity at senior level.

“It now seems like they have been around for a while and they have had exposure to senior rugby. We have confidence in their ability, our juniors are the best in their positions in the country, and it is a well-rounded squad with the addition of guys like Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw and Boeta Chamberlain. Plus Henco Venter still has to come in,” Everitt said.

And even now as they go in search of the elusive trophy you would have bet the Sharks would have grabbed by now before the arrival of Covid and Jake White at the Bulls, Everitt still has his eye on the greater squad as a whole, particularly with the South African franchises heading into the unknown in Europe.

“You can look at the Currie Cup both ways, obviously we want to win it, make no mistake, but it’s about growing our squad too. There’s not going to be time for any pre-season before we play in Europe, so that’s 11 rounds of Pro16 we have to get through and we won’t have our Springboks back until probably January.

“To win the Currie Cup, we have to be more accurate, we have to be able to really squeeze the opposition and not give them anything. Those are issues we can rectify,” Everitt said.

Sharks – Manie Libbok, Werner Kok, Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw, Anthony Volmink, Boeta Chamberlain, Jaden Hendrikse, Phepsi Buthelezi (c), Thembelani Bholi, James Venter, Hyron Andrews, Ruben van Heerden, Khutha Mchunu, Fez Mbatha, Khwezi Mona. Bench: Kerron van Vuuren, Mzamo Majola, Wiehahn Herbst, JJ van der Mescht, Reniel Hugo, Mpilo Gumede, Grant Williams, Marnus Potgieter.