Bright future for champion Matt
With all of the talk this week centred around the country’s top amateurs, it was unheralded Matthew Bright who produced a nerveless display to win a sudden-death play-off and scoop the Glacier Junior Series Final at Pecanwood Golf and Country Club.
The 18-year-old Midrand golfer fired a final round 71 to tie Christiaan Bezuidenhout for the lead on three-under-par 141, but then stood his ground in the ensuing play-off to triumph at the second extra hole.
The 18-year-old Midrand golfer fired a final round 71 to tie Christiaan Bezuidenhout for the lead on three-under-par 141, but then stood his ground in the ensuing play-off to triumph at the second extra hole.
But it was not the gleaming trophy or the fact that he outgunned 29 top junior golfers for the title that left Bright with a mile-long grin. Rather, it was the fact that while 30 Glacier Junior Series finalists battled for supremacy, it was Bright who managed to land what is arguably the biggest prize in junior golf: the chance to tee it up in the prestigious Orange Bowl Junior Golf Championship in Miami, Florida. And with that comes the chance of a possible golf scholarship for the matric student. Yet, when the teenager arrived at Pecanwood on Tuesday, it was with a rusty game, a swing he calls “something old, something new” and the desperate hope that he wouldn’t embarrass himself.
“I have been flat out at the books for the last three months, preparing for the matric exams,” said a beaming Bright. “I’ve hardly played golf and my swing is under construction. I really wanted to win this great prize. I certainly didn’t back myself to win when I arrived on Wednesday. I think the only one in the world who probably thought I had a chance was my dad.”But Bright proved he is a chip off the old block. Dad Mark spent 11 years playing the professional circuit, but it wasn’t until three years ago that he could convince his son to take the game seriously. “I used to take Matt to the driving range and he would play on the jumping castle with his sister,” said Bright Snr. “He was so good at other sports and a natural athlete, but if I forced him onto a golf course, he would just monkey around, like putting backwards or just disappearing. But three years ago, it all changed.”
With nothing better to do, the young star played a round of golf on the first day of the December holidays and never stopped. “Up until 15, I think I played two rounds of golf a year,” said Bright. “I don’t know why I had no interest in golf, but the bug suddenly bit and my father pounced. He entered me into a bunch of junior tournaments and I even won some. Like they say, the rest is history.” Bezuidenhout, on the other hand, was gutted about coming so close and not pulling off the victory. “I teed it up in five Glacier Junior Series events this year to try and qualify for the final,” the 17-year-old Delmas golfer said.
“I had three top five finishes, I was beaten once in a play-off but I finally managed to qualify when I won the play-off against Jonathan Dixon at the Thomas Aiken tournament at Wanderers and then I lose in a play-off again.
“But that’s golf and I’ll just have to give it another shot next year. Matt played some fantastic golf and he thoroughly deserves this honour.” And tournament favourite Haydn Porteous, the runner-up last year, will also have to make a return trip.
The number-three ranked player battled a balky putter in both rounds and finished in a tie for eighth on two-over-par 146. “Last year I threw away my chance to win the final and I had no-one else to blame, but this year I’m definitely blaming it on the putter,” joked the 17-year-old Kyalami golfer. “But who knows, maybe next year it will be third time lucky.”
FINAL RESULT
141 Matthew Bright 70 71 (won play-off, second hole)
141 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 70 71
144 Daniel Mantel 70 74; Jade Buitendag 72 72; Zander Lombard 72 72
145 Dean Martin 76 69; Blaine Dormel 71 74
146 Ian Snyman 70 76; William Bruce 70 76; Combrinck Smith 75 71; Haydn Porteous 75 71; Stefan Cronje 71 75; Keegan De Lange 71 75
147 Johan Theron 72 75
148 Kemal Palanduz 73 75
149 Carlo O'Reilly 76 73; Hando Brophy 74 75
150 Francois Kruger 74 76
151 Kevin Smith 78 73
152 Asmal Mallick 76 76
153 Teagan Moore 77 76; Aubrey Beckley 80 73
155 Meyer Pauw 80 75; Tristan Lawrence 81 74
161 Aubrey Kok 75 86
164 Devon Van Jaarsveld 81 83; Jay Dean Fourie 82 82
167 Konrad Zeelie 85 82
168 Anerin Gounden 82 86
169 Julian Samu 85 84
Issued on behalf of the Glacier by Sanlam by Michael Vlismas Media. For more information please contact Helena Ferreira, Glacier by Sanlam, on +27 21 917 9274 or helena.ferreira@glacier.co.za.
“I have been flat out at the books for the last three months, preparing for the matric exams,” said a beaming Bright. “I’ve hardly played golf and my swing is under construction. I really wanted to win this great prize. I certainly didn’t back myself to win when I arrived on Wednesday. I think the only one in the world who probably thought I had a chance was my dad.”But Bright proved he is a chip off the old block. Dad Mark spent 11 years playing the professional circuit, but it wasn’t until three years ago that he could convince his son to take the game seriously. “I used to take Matt to the driving range and he would play on the jumping castle with his sister,” said Bright Snr. “He was so good at other sports and a natural athlete, but if I forced him onto a golf course, he would just monkey around, like putting backwards or just disappearing. But three years ago, it all changed.”
With nothing better to do, the young star played a round of golf on the first day of the December holidays and never stopped. “Up until 15, I think I played two rounds of golf a year,” said Bright. “I don’t know why I had no interest in golf, but the bug suddenly bit and my father pounced. He entered me into a bunch of junior tournaments and I even won some. Like they say, the rest is history.” Bezuidenhout, on the other hand, was gutted about coming so close and not pulling off the victory. “I teed it up in five Glacier Junior Series events this year to try and qualify for the final,” the 17-year-old Delmas golfer said.
“I had three top five finishes, I was beaten once in a play-off but I finally managed to qualify when I won the play-off against Jonathan Dixon at the Thomas Aiken tournament at Wanderers and then I lose in a play-off again.
“But that’s golf and I’ll just have to give it another shot next year. Matt played some fantastic golf and he thoroughly deserves this honour.” And tournament favourite Haydn Porteous, the runner-up last year, will also have to make a return trip.
The number-three ranked player battled a balky putter in both rounds and finished in a tie for eighth on two-over-par 146. “Last year I threw away my chance to win the final and I had no-one else to blame, but this year I’m definitely blaming it on the putter,” joked the 17-year-old Kyalami golfer. “But who knows, maybe next year it will be third time lucky.”
FINAL RESULT
141 Matthew Bright 70 71 (won play-off, second hole)
141 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 70 71
144 Daniel Mantel 70 74; Jade Buitendag 72 72; Zander Lombard 72 72
145 Dean Martin 76 69; Blaine Dormel 71 74
146 Ian Snyman 70 76; William Bruce 70 76; Combrinck Smith 75 71; Haydn Porteous 75 71; Stefan Cronje 71 75; Keegan De Lange 71 75
147 Johan Theron 72 75
148 Kemal Palanduz 73 75
149 Carlo O'Reilly 76 73; Hando Brophy 74 75
150 Francois Kruger 74 76
151 Kevin Smith 78 73
152 Asmal Mallick 76 76
153 Teagan Moore 77 76; Aubrey Beckley 80 73
155 Meyer Pauw 80 75; Tristan Lawrence 81 74
161 Aubrey Kok 75 86
164 Devon Van Jaarsveld 81 83; Jay Dean Fourie 82 82
167 Konrad Zeelie 85 82
168 Anerin Gounden 82 86
169 Julian Samu 85 84
Issued on behalf of the Glacier by Sanlam by Michael Vlismas Media. For more information please contact Helena Ferreira, Glacier by Sanlam, on +27 21 917 9274 or helena.ferreira@glacier.co.za.
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