Hadad finally gets a taste of victory
It took him three years, but Woodmead golfer Eliaz Hadad said it was well worth entering all those events after he finally nailed a Glacier Junior Series event to book his spot in the popular series’ Final.
“I started playing the Glacier Junior Series when it launched in 2010, but I never came close to winning,” explained the 16-year-old from Gallo Manor. “I never gave up trying and it’s absolutely fantastic to finally win.”
Hadad carded an even-par 72 to win by three shots from fellow junior golfer, David Meyers. He said he stared in disbelief at the leaderboard after realising he had won the tournament, hosted by international rules official Theo Manyama at Glendower Golf Club on Tuesday, 10 January.
“I was actually shocked when I saw the leaderboard,” the plus-one handicap Country Club Johannesburg golfer gushed.
“I never thought about the score while I was playing. The conditions were very windy, at least one and a half clubs, and the greens were very, very fast and quite tough to read. I just focussed on getting through each hole, playing for par.
“I only realised I won after handing in my scorecard. I’m absolutely delighted.”
Hadad said he was thrilled to join this year’s first winner, Zander Lombard in the Glacier Junior Series Final later this year. The Pretoria golfer won the Dale Hayes Tournament at Mowbray Golf Club two days earlier.
“There are a couple of reasons why we junior golfers really enjoy the Glacier Junior Series and why it’s just grows in popularity,” he said. “First of all, it’s the only series of its kind where we can compete for a superb prize and I’m absolutely thrilled to have qualified for the Final,
“But the Glacier Junior Series gives all junior golfers a chance to compete and gain experience, because every tournament is played in three divisions. That means the high handicaps also get the experience and compete for great prizes.”
Although Hadad has sealed his spot in the Series Final to compete for an all-expenses paid trip to compete in the prestigious Orange Bowl Junior Invitational in Florida, he plans to continue supporting the Series.
“My next event will be the Charl Schwartzel tournament at Maccauvlei in March,” he said. “The Series attracts the top golfers in the country competing in the A-Division and that’s the kind of competitive environment I’m looking for at the moment, so I’ll continue playing.
“It’s just nice to know, in the back of my head, that I don’t have to qualify for the Final anymore.”
Glacier by Sanlam launched the Glacier Junior Series in 2010 in an effort to grow the competitive platform for junior golfers.
Each event on the Glacier Junior Series is a stand-alone 18-hole stroke play tournament, with three divisions (A, B and C) according to handicap and is open to all Junior Golfers in South Africa who have an official SAGA affiliated handicap and the winner of each regional event qualifies for the national final later this year.
In addition to the grand prize, the names of all the juniors playing in this year’s series will go into a draw and four juniors will win an all-expenses paid trip to the Sanlam Cancer Challenge Final at Sun City later this year.
Each tournament in the series is hosted by top South African golfers and industry leaders, including the country’s three major winners Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen.
Glacier by Sanlam CEO Anton Raath is delighted with the high profile support and growth of this series over the last two years.
“We are absolutely thrilled with how well the series has been supported by our top professionals and industry leaders, as well as the junior golfers competing in the series,” he said.
“We trust that the 2012 edition of the Glacier Junior Series will be just as well received.”