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Ken Borland



Van Zyl out of the limelight, but for how long? 0

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Ken

 

Jaco van Zyl has been playing his golf largely out of the limelight despite finishing in the top 10 of the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit for the last four years. But that could change if he wins the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington on Sunday.

Van Zyl shot an outstanding five-under-par 67 on Saturday to move to 14-under-par and a tie for third place, just five out from the leading mark set by Richard Sterne and Trevor Fisher Jnr.

The 33-year-old member of Dainfern Golf Club almost had the distinction of starting and ending his round with an eagle. Van Zyl began the day with a three on the par-five first hole and then watched in disbelief as his 18-foot eagle putt on the last just lipped out.

“A foot from the hole, the ball just started to go right, but I thought enough of it would still be over the hole to go in,” Van Zyl mused after his round.

But by then he had become used to the ebbs and flows of his round on the East Course, considered to be the tougher of the two at Royal Joburg and solely used for the weekend.

“The first hole is obviously one you want to capitalise on being a par-five, but then on two, three and four you’re just hanging on. Six you can capitalise again on and although things went slow between nine and 15, I had a nice finish,” Van Zyl said.

The 2000 SA Amateur champion felt he had “kind of a chance” of winning on Sunday but conceded that Sterne and Fisher had the tournament under their control.

“I’ll really need a good one tomorrow and I must get a quick start,” Van Zyl said.

While the Lonehill resident says he feels most comfortable at home -“travelling really gets to you” – he will be heading over to Europe once again in April.

Van Zyl, despite seldom being mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Charl Schwartzel, George Coetzee, Richard Sterne and Thomas Aiken, has been able to shine over the last two years on the European Tour, comfortably retaining his card with 50th and 64th place finishes on the order of merit.

But he would dearly love to add a European Tour title to his collection of 10 Sunshine Tour wins.

“My first goal is to retain my card because I try not to lose perspective of how quickly things can go sour in this game. I want to stay modest, learn how to crawl before I try to walk and then run.

“My second goal is to make the Race to Dubai final, but winning a European Tour event has been on my mind for a while, I’ve had a couple of chances and I’d obviously really like to finish one off,” Van Zyl said.

http://www.sapa.org.za/secure/view.cfm?id=3645712

Oh no, it’s heading for the cup! 0

Posted on January 14, 2012 by Ken

by Ken Borland 14 January 2012, 13:22

 

Richard Finch’s first thought as his tee-shot headed straight for the cup on the par-three 12th hole on the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington East Course was “Oh no!”

Finch’s hole-in-one helped him into a share of the lead after the second round of the Joburg Open, but his initial feeling was that he had achieved the “perfect fluke” on the wrong day.

“On 12 I looked at the back of the tee and read the board which said there was a million rand available for a hole-in-one in the final round. As my shot landed I turned around and said ‘Oh no!’ because I had hit it on the perfect line,” Finch said.

The ball went slightly downhill before lodging in the hole, so Finch only knew he had sunk his tee shot by the reaction of the spectators around the green.

“Some of [playing partner] Darren Fichardt’s family and friends were at the green and they started cheering, so it was clear it had gone in,” Finch said.

Finch’s six-iron from 188 metres was the highlight of a top-class round of six-under-par 66 on the tough East Course that saw the Englishman soar to 11-under-par overall and a share of the lead with countryman Robert Rock and South Africa’s George Coetzee.

“Starting today at five-under-par was interesting – a few birdies and you’re right up there amongst the lead, but a couple of bogeys and you miss the cut. But I’m delighted with today, I thought some of the pins were really tucked away, so I just tried to be sensible and get it on to the green to give myself a chance. I managed to roll a few in, which was good,” the 34-year-old said.

While there may not be any formal award for Finch’s second-round hole-in-one, his other ace in South Africa did net him a most useful prize.

“I made one at Humewood a few years ago during the SA Open. It was sponsored by South African Airways, so I won a million air miles, which was nice.”

One imagines Finch didn’t protest too much either when he made a hole-in-one at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in 2010 and won a bottle of Blue!

The European Tour regular will be after the big prize in Johannesburg, however, – a third title, a one-year exemption, 22 points for the world rankings and the winner’s cheque of R1.8 million.

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  • Thought of the Day

    2 Peter 3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

    True Christianity starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your saviour and redeemer and fully surrendering to him. You have to start living a new life; submit daily to the will of your master.

    We need to grow within grace, not into grace, and the responsibility rests with us. Your role model is Jesus Christ and he is always with you to strengthen you in your weakness, but you have to cultivate your growth. So spend more time in prayer and use the faith you already have.

     

     



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