Author: Willie

Tumelo Molloyi became the latest member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class to brace the Sunshine Tour winner’s circle after his four-under 68 earned him a one-shot victory in the Blue Label Development Tour’s one-day event at Waterkloof Golf Club on Monday.

Until Monday’s win, Molloyi’s season had been a tale of struggles and missed opportunities. He had missed the cut in each of the 10 tournaments he’d played up to this point but the gods of golf would favour him in Pretoria on Monday.

“It took me a while to realise that I have won,” revealed Molloyi. “I had a four-foot putt for birdie on the last and I thought if I got to five-under, I’d have a chance. I hit a very good putt but it lipped out and I was four-under. I was among the first guys off today, so it was a very nervy hour of waiting. But I am very happy for this win and to do it with the score I shot today was also special for me.”

His round consisted of birdies on the third hole, an eagle on the par-five seventh and a birdie on 13.

“I think I missed two or three greens today. As I hit my tee shot on 17, I realised that I was bogey-free. It’s probably the first time I shoot a bogey-free round in a tournament, so that makes it two wins for me today.”

Molloyi is not oblivious to the reality of his struggles so far in the season, however. He attributes this to technical changes he is undergoing and insists that the string of poor results will soon be a thing of the past.

“About two months ago, I made a coaching change and you know with change, some things take longer to click together; it’s a process,” he said. “Even today, I didn’t play perfect golf and my driver was off the whole day but I managed to miss in the right places. Look, it’s a work in progress but I am just happy that my game is trending in the right direction. I’ve started to putt really nicely, which I have not done in over three years. There’s still a lot of work to be done but things will come together soon.”

This win marks the first professional win for the Jackal Creek Golf and Country Club player. It also represents a momentous chapter for the Papwa Sewgolum Class as it shows that with proper investment and support, success is truly inevitable. Moreover, Molloyi’s win is testimony that with a solid development structure in place, talent can be nurtured to thrive over time.

Molloyi is a graduate of the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) which was founded by businessman and philanthropist, Johann Rupert, with the aim of taking the game of golf to the grassroots level and making it accessible to everyone.

With his victory here, Molloyi joins fellow members of the Papwa Sewgolum Class – Toto Thimba Jnr, Franklin Manchest, Jacquin Hess and Fezekile Kana among others – as members of that transformation initiative who boasts wins on any Sunshine Tour-sanctioned tournament.

“This is huge for me,” added Molloyi as members of the Papwa Sewgolum Class embraced him while showering him with congratulations. “I know there is still a lot of work to be done and a lot of competitions, but this moment is really big for me and I want to thank the Sunshine Tour and Blue Label for making it happen.”

Molloyi will now turn his attention to the Sunshine Tour where he will be aiming to replicate this success on a much bigger stage. Having tasted victory at this point, Molloyi will head into the next Sunshine Tour event beaming with confidence.

Werner Deyzel carded an impressive eight-under-par to claim a three-shot victory over Uganda’s Ronal Rugumayo in the Blue Label Development Tour’s one-day event at Services Golf Club on Thursday.

The Woodhill Country Club player, Deyzel, had come close to winning a Sunshine Tour event twice this season, with third-place finishes at Reading Country Club two days ago and in the Altron Bigg Easy Tour at Huddle Park Golf Club last month. On Thursday in the country’s capital city, Werner looked sharp and assured in his play and was not to be denied.

Birdies on the first hole, the second and another on the fourth characterised a bogey-free front nine of 33 for Werner, giving him some freedom to express himself coming home. A par after the turn preceded a run of five birdies on the spin before a bogey on his halted Werner’s progress. He steadied himself on the 17^th and made par there before sealing his round with a birdie.

“I struggled a lot on Tuesday at Reading and I wasn’t playing well,” said Werner, detailing the differences to his performance this week, “but today, I was hitting the ball really well and I was putting really well.

“In the all years we have played here, Services has always been a good scoring course. But you have to hit it well off the tee and putt just as well and I think I managed to do that today. I am very happy with myself and I am happy with the way I played today.”

A first-time winner on this development circuit, Werner will feel, more than ever before, that he has what it takes to compete and win against the elite of the sport. After all, the competition in this series is as fierce as they come and winning here is ever so tough.

“This win means a lot to me because I have been playing good golf over the last couple of months and I am very happy to pull this off,” he said.

Second-placed Rugumayo will be just as happy with his results on Thursday. The Ugandan sensation seems to have settled and is beginning to build momentum. His round of seven-under-par 65 at Services will give him some confidence as the season progresses.

Leon Vorster made par on the first hole of sudden death against Keegan McLachlan to claim his maiden Sunshine Tour win in the Blue Label Development Tour’s one-day event that was played at Reading Country Club on Tuesday.

Both players finished on five-under 66 in regulation thereby necessitating a playoff to decide the winner of this second event in this series. McLachlan was first in the clubhouse after his round of 66 and looked set for another victory in Alberton following his win in the Altron Big Easy Tour here last season. It was not to be.

While his eventful round of 66 – five birdies and two bogeys – looked good enough to hand him a straight win here, Vorster popped up with a 66 of his own to force a playoff. Vorster’s round consisted of six birdies and a solitary drop.

“I started very well on the front nine with no mistakes, really,” said an elated Vorster. “I missed a few short putts but I wasn’t too bothered because I knew I was playing good golf. On the back nine, I tried to keep calm and give myself good chances and apart from that one bogey, I think I did that very well.

“It was important that I didn’t miss the fairways and greens because you can score well here if you keep it in play. And the greens are very fast this week, so it becomes tough to up-and-down if you miss the greens. But I am happy with how I played and I’m proud of myself because I’ve put in so much hard work into my game the last few months and to see the results starting to show, is a positive sign.”

The Vryburg Golf Club member will take a lot of confidence from his showing here and with another Blue Label Development Tour event coming up in just two days, Vorster will fancy his chances.

“A win like this, via a playoff, definitely gives you confidence, he said, “because it’s not easy out here. Keegan is a solid player and to win against such players is special. It’s a special feeling to win your first tournament and I want to thank Blue Label and the Sunshine Tour for giving us these opportunities to play regularly.”

The third tournament in the series will be played at Services Golf Club on Thursday.

Rigardt Albertse has set his sights on earning his Sunshine Tour playing privileges after his breakthrough victory in the Blue Label Tour’s one-day tournament held at Huddle Park Golf and Recreation on Monday.

The Blue Label Tour is in its second season, having been launched by the Sunshine Tour last year to create more playing opportunities for its members.

Albertse became the latest winner on this developmental circuit thanks to his nine-under 63 round and now, the Dundee Golf Club member aims to emulate that success on the Sunshine Tour itself.

“The win gave me a lot of confidence,” said Albertse, “because I aim to get my Sunshine Tour through the Big Easy Tour and I think I’m around the top five in the order of merit. It felt like the putter owed me something this week and when I was out there, I just wanted to make as many putts as possible.”

With his win at Huddle Park, Rigardt joins his brother, Louis, in a Sunshine Tour winner’s circle. And, having received an invite to the Sunshine Tour’s Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament which will be hosted at Devonvale Golf and Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, Albertse will be eager to test himself against the best.

“It’s going to be tough,” said Albertse, “but I’m happy to be going there after a win. The Big Easy prepares you for these kinds of situations. This week felt like a real preparation for the VOG and I’m looking forward to competing again and seeing where it all goes.”

The second tournament in the Blue Label Development series will be played on September 25^th at a venue which is yet to be confirmed while the third event will be at Waterkloof Golf Club three days later.