The 2nd Major of the Season, The Duckhook Masters, took place at the home of the Masters, Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate on Friday the 3rd of May.
A perfect Friday morning greeted the Masters Contenders for the 2nd Medal event of the Season. With the League fields expanding resulting in even more competition to get into the Major field. For the first time a Duckhook Major featured the Top32 Golfers! 16 Players from the Thursday and Sunday Leagues!
The Qualifying cycle took place over a 3 month period, from February to April on both Thursday (Reading, Ruimsig, Woodhill) and Sunday League (Glenvista, Irene, Observatory) tours. Exempt players included the 2018 Player of the Season, 2018 Sunday League Champion, current Major Champions, 6 Winners from the qualifying cycle and the remaining highest Individual Stableford points earners.
With 4203,25 Player Rankings Points available to the Top 32 and 850 points going to the Champion. There was plenty to play for in the quest to Top the Player of the Season Rankings and win a Travel Voucher from C the World!
The contenders teed off in reverse points order, from the least I.S points to most I.S points with the aim that the inform players would have the honour to finish off the Tournament.
Once the players were on the Course, Dhana Perumal playing off his 10 handicap was the first player to show his intent to win by carding 7 Pars on the front nine, three consecutively from hole 1 to 3 and then four Pars from hole 6 to 9 to reach the halfway stage as the leader on -3. His start to the back nine was less than desired starting with a Double Bogey on the short Par 4 – 10th to fall back to -1. Further Triple Bogey’s on the Par 4 – 14th and finishing Par 4 – 18th would see him fall out of contention and complete his round on +3 for a Tied 5th Finish.
Leading the field off, Thursday League Woodhill winner Ryan Estment, one of three players competing off a +2 handicap made his run on the back nine after completing his front nine on +3. An exceptional 3 under Par 33, included 4 Birdies which came on the Par 5 – 11th and three in a row starting on the Par 3 – 15th then Par 5 – 16th and Par 4 – 17th, saw him rocket back into contention on a +1 clubhouse lead and a wait to watch the rest of the field return to the clubhouse.
Taking the tournament outright lead on the 12th hole Russell Tandy (11) also boasting a victory at Irene to qualify for the Major, completed a steady front nine on -1 before moving to the back nine where he gained another shot on the Par 3 – 12th to move to -2 now ahead of Dhana Perumal. Russell remained at the Top of the Leaderboard for the next 4 holes until the Par 5 – 16th saw him find the water with two balls and two shots erased from his lead to fall back to +1 with only 2 holes to play.
Russell’s misfortunes opened the door for playing partner, Ruben Swart (6) who had spent the majority of the Tournament hovering around the Even Par mark. Ruben tipped as one of the favourites for the Masters due to his recent form and qualifying with 112 I.S points, the most out of the 32 players. His two front nine Birdies helped him reach the halfway mark on Even Par and eventually moved into the Red numbers to -1 on the Par 4 – 14th before a Bogey on the following Par 3 – 15th returned him to Even Par.
Watching Russell Tandy’s water woes unfold, Ruben suddenly found himself in the lead with only two holes to negotiate and the added benefit of stroking the final Par 4 – 18th. With the nerves now set in standing on the 18th Tee box and the permutation being Par to stay ahead of Russell to win his first Major Title, it was to be the form player’s Tournament, Ruben completing his round at Even Par to become the 2019 Duckhook Masters Champion! Collecting 850 player Rankings points to move to 2nd on the overall Rankings while Ryan Estment’s 550 points for 2nd place elevated him to the summit of the Player Rankings.
Congratulations to all the players who made the Masters a major to remember.
Final Result
|
POS. |
H/C |
PLAYER |
TO PAR |
GROSS |
RANKING PTS |
|
1 |
6 |
Ruben Swart |
E |
78 |
850 |
|
2 |
+2 |
Ryan Estment |
+1 |
71 |
510 |
|
T3 |
2 |
Danie Geldenhuys |
+2 |
76 |
297,50 |
|
T3 |
16 |
Paul Ricketts |
+2 |
90 |
297,50 |
|
T5 |
10 |
Dhana Perumal |
+3 |
85 |
175,66 |
|
T5 |
11 |
Karel J. van Rensburg |
+3 |
86 |
175,66 |
|
T5 |
11 |
Russell Tandy |
+3 |
86 |
175,66 |
|
T8 |
5 |
Adam Ford |
+4 |
81 |
131,75 |
|
T8 |
3 |
Nico Roets |
+4 |
79 |
131,75 |
|
T10 |
13 |
Andrew Smith |
+5 |
90 |
110,50 |
|
T10 |
7 |
Dean Sherman |
+5 |
84 |
110,50 |
|
T10 |
13 |
Graham de Villiers |
+5 |
90 |
110,50 |
|
T13 |
+2 |
Bartjie de Klerk |
+6 |
76 |
83,93 |
|
T13 |
12 |
Dylan Stafford |
+6 |
90 |
83,93 |
|
T13 |
17 |
Louis Nel |
+6 |
95 |
83,93 |
|
T13 |
8 |
Richard Stewart |
+6 |
86 |
83,93 |
|
T17 |
8 |
Benno Coetzee |
+8 |
88 |
63,75 |
|
T17 |
10 |
Jamie Sherry |
+8 |
90 |
63,75 |
|
T17 |
19 |
Kobus Schoeman |
+8 |
99 |
63,75 |
|
T17 |
13 |
Marthinus Bekker |
+8 |
93 |
63,75 |
|
T17 |
17 |
Pierre Grobbelaar |
+8 |
97 |
63,75 |
|
22 |
+2 |
Dylan de Beer |
+9 |
79 |
52,70 |
|
T23 |
17 |
Carl van der Linde |
+10 |
99 |
48,87 |
|
T23 |
7 |
Frikkie Barnard |
+10 |
89 |
48,87 |
|
25 |
15 |
Nerudo Mregi |
+11 |
98 |
45,05 |
|
T26 |
5 |
Andre Kotze |
+12 |
89 |
41,65 |
|
T26 |
10 |
Kevin Ho |
+12 |
94 |
41,65 |
|
T26 |
15 |
Mazz Lacueva |
+12 |
99 |
41,65 |
|
T29 |
5 |
Alan Louw |
+12 |
91 |
38,67 |
|
T29 |
8 |
Mark Borrajeiro |
+14 |
94 |
38,67 |
|
31 |
10 |
Tiaan Bekker |
+15 |
97 |
37,40 |
|
32 |
12 |
Matt Botwood |
+16 |
100 |
36,55 |
