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Allister de Kock living out his dream
Allister de Kock decided to quit his job and chase his dream of becoming a professional golfer, and on Wednesday he realised the first part of that goal when he shot 65 to share the lead at Vusi Ngubeni Qualifying School.
De Kock’s six-under-par tournament score drew him level Michael Dreyer, ahead of a cut of the top 50 and ties as players battled for 10 Sunshine Tour cards available at Observatory Golf Club this week.
“I started playing when I was 13, but didn’t take the game seriously until this year. I quit my job this year and decided to give golf a chance, and right now things are going really well!” said de Kock.
The Uitenhage Golf Club representative blazed around the par-35 back stretch in 29 strokes, adding an eagle at the 14th to his fireworks display. “That eagle: I hit driver just left of the fairway and then took a seven-iron to six foot from the pin. When the putt dropped it was an unbelievable feeling,” he said.
“I don’t know what to say,” He added, “I would have been happy to go out and shoot level par, but then things today just kept going right – it was a dream come true.”
De Kock opened the day with a sleepy seven pars, made birdie at the 8th and turned at one-under.
But the 28-year-old had a dream to catch and went deep immediately after the turn by carding birdies from 11 to 13.
He followed that hattrick of birdies with an eagle at 14 and closed out the round with a final birdie at 17.
His card of seven-under-par 65 was a massive four strokes better than the next best round carded this week and easily outshined his first-round 73.
“The putter was working today, so I decided to just go for the flag. I told myself to go out there and be calm and after that everything just clicked – it felt like I boxed every putt,” he said.
Michael Dreyer shot his second consecutive 69 to hold his share of the lead. “It was a good day and I held it together well. I gave myself a lot of chances today, and my putter was on form,” he said.
Two strokes back were Irvin Mazibuko and Alpheus Kelapile, who shared third at four-under-par.
De Kock was elated with his round and, upon reflection, felt he could go low again. “I suppose I have nothing to lose, and that’s helping me to just play the game,” he said.
SCORES
138 - Allister de Kock (AMA) 73 65, Michael Dreyer 69 69
140 - Irvin Mazibuko 71 69, Alpheus Kelapile 70 70
141 - Thabo Maseko (AMA) 70 71
142 - Rocky Tlhabanyane 69 73, Jack Kutumane 71 71, Vickesh Singh 69 73
143 - John Bele 75 68, Kenneth Dube 71 72
144 - Neo Thubisi 74 70
146 - Gerrit Foster 73 73, Mikhail Tewary 73 73, George Brown 74 72
147 - Warren Holland 78 69, Sbu Nhlapho (AMA) 74 73, Mzwane Sithole 76 71, Makgetha Mazibuko 74 73, Thanda Mavundla 73 74, Kerwin Marais 77 70
148 - Malebana Pataki (AMA) 74 74, Sung-Moon Hohng (KOR) (AMA) 78 70, Tsietsi Chabangu 75 73, Elvis Sithebe (AMA) 74 74
149 - Zuko Sangqu 78 71, Albert Tsai 74 75
150 - Kyle Thomas (AMA) 77 73, Sammy Daniels 77 73, Brian October (AMA) 79 71
151 - Reginald Greenhead (AMA) 77 74, Ben Jonas 75 76, Marks Bodibe 74 77, Zwelakhe Dube 76 75, Joseph Mohulatsi 75 76, Joseph Mojapela 80 71
152 - Shaun Sauls (AMA) 79 73, Leon Naidoo (AMA) 75 77, Cameron Esau 76 76, Jeff Mnisi (AMA) 74 78, Matt Photolo 75 77
154 - Dees Nair 77 77, Trevor Mahoney 77 77, Wandile Gininda 80 74
155 - Jastice Mashego (AMA) 76 79, Yubin Jung (AMA) 76 79, Ashwin Krishen (AMA) 73 82, Makhosonke Mlotshwa 74 81
156 - Lebo Ramukosi 79 77, Jason Koeries (AMA) 78 78, Tumo Motaung (AMA) 79 77, Tatolo Kutumane (AMA) 77 79
Missed the cut:-
157 - Mphako Langa (AMA) 80 77, Kaizer Maxatshwa (AMA) 83 74, Jason de Gama 84 73, Zwandile Sikobi 77 80
158 - Joe Trongo 77 81, Julian Ohlson 76 82, Mojalefa Xaba (AMA) 79 79, Collin Peter (AMA) 78 80
159 - Isaac Kaunda (AMA) 77 82, Darryl Maistry 88 71, Colin Stanfield (AMA) 81 78, Big J Ngomane 76 83
160 - Luciano Arnolds (AMA) 80 80, Sobantu Sibandze 79 81, Gareth Fortuin 80 80, Philip Esau (AMA) 79 81, Vic Padayachy 77 83, Ronnie Musi (AMA) 81 79
161 - Langa Radebe 85 76, John Skosana (AMA) 81 80
162 - Charles Ntsimbi (AMA) 82 80, Ambi Sandys (AMA) 82 80
163 - Thokozani Dladla (AMA) 83 80
164 - Edwin Harris (AMA) 81 83, Jerry Nhlapo (AMA) 81 83, Abel Letswela (AMA) 83 81
165 - Thabo Shingange (AMA) 81 84, Phiwe Makeleni (AMA) 85 80
166 - Lucas Mohande (AMA) 86 80, Ronald Malatsi (AMA) 81 85
167 - Johannes Mokoena 87 80, Denzil Potgieter Jnr (AMA) 90 77
169 - Mpompi Makhanya (AMA) 86 83, Johannes Mnyandu (AMA) 86 83
170 - Gareth Dreyer (AMA) 85 85
171 - Mpho Maine 84 87, Basia Ganda (AMA) 86 85
173 - Craig Dreyer 88 85
174 - Funi Soko (AMA) 84 90, Sam Baleka (AMA) 88 86
175 - Jacobus Steenkamp (AMA) 80 95
176 - Tshepo Khuzwayo 88 88, TZ Chieh Liu (AMA) 84 92
177 - Andrew Thoothe (AMA) 90 87, Sebastian Campbell (AMA) 89 88
178 - Louis Moyana (AMA) 85 93
179 - Frans Msibi (AMA) 93 86, Mmereki Thekiso (AMA) 88 91, Jeremiah Tumane (AMA) 93 86
182 - Anthony Gysman (AMA) 86 96
186 - Ziyaad Mohamed (AMA) 94 92
187 - John Mohlala (AMA) 91 96
188 - Matshikinya (AMA) 92 96
192 - Malose Monama (AMA) 94 98
RTD - JM Lekoto (AMA) RTD RTD
DSQ - Mokhele Kolokoto (AMA) 89 DSQ, James Papela (AMA) 96 DSQ, Rudzani Nalana (AMA) 100 DSQ
