Woburn golfer Mark Stockdale enjoyed a stunning run at the South African Amateur and was only denied a semi-final place by a 70-yard hole-out eagle at Mount Edgecombe CC.
Format: 36-hole stroke play / 6 rounds of matchplay
The 18-year-old started the week without any WAGR points but defied the odds to reach the knock-out stages and then beat Croatia’s Vukasin Suturovic in round one before seeing off South African international Jonathan Broomhead (World No 55) and Irish powerhouse Peter O’Keeffe (84) to reach the last eight.
Stockdale, who finished in a tie for 46th at the South African Stroke Play last week, looked set for a semi-final showdown French star Martin Courva as he went dormie on 15 against home player Janko van der Merwe this morning.
But the South African U-17s champion won the last three holes before the first two play-off holes were halved. Then, at the par five third, Stockdale was by the green in two and watched helplessly as his opponent holed out for a three, the ball bouncing once before disappearing.
The Northamptonshire-based teenager, who finished 34th in the Carris Trophy last year, was determined to take the positives from his efforts ahead of his final event in South Africa – The Cape Province Open (March 1-3).
“It has been nice to hang around these players and learn from them,” said Stockdale, who is making his first trip to South Africa.
“I have always been one of those players, who likes playing with better players. It makes you work harder and bring something special.”
Stockdale and van der Merwe enjoyed a great battle, the match catching fire as both players eagled the fifth before Stockdale took control until the last three holes.
He added: “I must admit the last few weeks has been a bit of struggle but I have worked hard to improve and even though the results weren’t, there the game was.
“In the matchplay I got on a bit of a roll and I will certainly take the positives from the week. It’s about improving 1% each week.”
The former Midlands champion finished on one under in the 36-hole stroke play qualifier with the top 64 out of 142 reaching the knock-out stages.
He reached the last 32 with a 3&2 success against Suturovic before battling back from two down with four to play against Broomhead, who topped qualifying at last year’s Amateur Championship at St Annes and Royal Lytham.
Yesterday afternoon he saw off Walker Cup probable Peter O’Keeffe 3&2 before van der Merwe denied him in dramatic fashion at the 21st.
Stockdale was Britain’s last remaining entrant with red-hot Courva – he also won the South African Stroke Play – taking on home favourite Kyle de Beer in tomorrow’s final.
Welsh international Matt Roberts (Royal Porthcawl) and Scotland’s Gregor Graham (Blairgowrie) reached the last 16 while Amateur champion Aldrich Potgieter fired a stunning nine-under-par 61 in the second qualifying round to join Courva on 13 under par at the top of the stroke play stages.