Alpheus stays calm to win Vusi Q-School
While only five players managed to score below par in torrential conditions at Observatory Golf Club, Alpheus Kelapile was as calm as the eye of the storm and shot 72 to win Vusi Ngubeni Qualifying School.
“I really needed this. Last night I told myself to do whatever it took…today I restored my confidence in myself,” he said. His vision led him past the wind and rain, and he closed the tournament at eight-under-par, claiming the first of 10 Sunshine Tour cards handed out on Friday.
He could see the finish line by the 14th hole and did not falter, finishing one stroke clear of Jack Kutumane, who shot 70 for his final 18.
“From the 13th I looked at the scoreboard and I thought to myself ‘you’ve got this’ and didn’t look back. All I aimed for was to keep it in play: hit the fairway, hit the green. I knew that it was mine to lose, and I would not allow that,” he said.
Kelapile had a blurry front stretch – he spattered the round with bogeys at the 3rd and 9th and produced no birdies to plug the leak. He turned at two-over.
By the back nine he had mastered the wind and he birdied the 11th and 13th, which drown out his two-shot deficit and returned him to level-par for the round.
He closed the round with five consecutive pars and breezed to a one-stroke victory, saying: “I know what to do know and where to work. I spent this year aiming for the 2012 season, and this makes me feel ready.”
Also earning cards were: Irvin Mazibuko, Allister de Kock (AMA), Elvis Sithebe(AMA), Thabo Maseko(AMA), Rocky Tlhabanyane, Makgetha Mazibuko, Sung-Moon Hohng(AMA), George Brown. Hohng and Brown ousted Neo Thubisi and John Bele in a countout after all four players finished at one-over.
The top 30 receive cards for the Sunshine Big Easy Tour presented by Stonehage. Aside from the aforementioned top 10, they were: Neo Thubisi, John Bele, Warren Holland, Albert Tsai, Michael Dreyer, Thanda Mavundla, Mikhail Tewary, Sammy Daniels, Trevor Mahoney, Kenneth Dube, Vickesh Singh, Ben Jonas, Tsietsi Chabangu, Wandile Gininda, Yubin Jung(AMA), Cameron Esau, Zwelakhe Dube, Zuko Sangqu, Shaun Sauls(AMA), Sbu Nhlapho(AMA) and Brian October(AMA).
Kelapile, when asked about the the Big Easy Tour, said: “It has played a major role in my game. It’s solid, competitive golf and the initiative has really helped my game.”
Finishing first took cool nerves and showcased the 27-year-old as a quiet danger in the coming season. “It’s been a long, long time coming. I feel like I’ve worked hard for this and I deserve it.”
LEADING FINAL SCORES
279 – Alpheus Kelapile 70 70 68 71
281 – Jack Kutumane 71 71 69 70
283 – Irvin Mazibuko 71 69 70 73
284 – Allister de Kock 73 65 74 72
286 – Elvis Sithebe 74 74 66 72
287 – Thabo Maseko 70 71 68 78, Rocky Tlhabanyane 69 73 67 78
288 – Makgetha Mazibuko 74 73 66 75
289 – Sung-Moon Hohng 78 70 70 71, George Brown 74 72 71 72, Neo Thubisi 74 70 70 75, John Bele 75 68 70 76
291 – Warren Holland 78 69 73 71
292 – Albert Tsai 74 75 73 70, Michael Dreyer 69 69 77 77
293 – Thanda Mavundla 73 74 70 76
295 – Mikhail Tewary 73 73 72 77
296 – Sammy Daniels 77 73 72 74
297 – Trevor Mahoney 77 77 69 74, Kenneth Dube 71 72 77 77, Vickesh Singh 69 73 74 81
298 – Ben Jonas 75 76 70 77, Tsietsi Chabangu 75 73 72 78
299 – Wandile Gininda 80 74 72 73
301 – Yubin Jung 76 79 69 77, Cameron Esau 76 76 74 75
303 – Zwelakhe Dube 76 75 75 77
305 – Zuko Sangqu 78 71 73 83
307 – Shaun Sauls 79 73 73 82, Sbu Nhlapho 74 73 79 81, Brian October 79 71 77 80
308 – Reginald Greenhead 77 74 71 86, Ashwin Krishen 73 82 71 82, Lebo Ramukosi 79 77 71 81, Tumo Motaung 79 77 72 80, Jason Koeries 78 78 74 78
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