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Botswana: Youngster Clinches Botswana Open Title
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
2 April 2008
Posted to the web 2 April 2008
Mogomotsi Moloi
Seventeen-year-old Steward Smith pulled a surprise over the weekend when he clinched his first major trophy - the Botswana Amateur Open held at Gaborone Golf Club.
The youngster is currently enrolled with South Africa Golf School of Excellence in Johannesburg. He won the champions category over the weekend despite the fact that he was pitted against highly experienced players like defending champion Diane Lucas, Shane Granger and Walter Seokemong.
Playing handicap four, Smith's game has grown tremendously since joining the school of excellence led by the same South African mentor who coaches the local senior national teams, Michael Balderstone. He shot 71-72-77 to end the competitive 54 holes campaign on Sunday afternoon with 220 points - nine lower than his runner-up Mpho Kelosiwang. His match to victory was nearly derailed by the blowing wind and an extended course but he overcame the odds to emerge victorious. He had a well-calculated parting and most of his drives fell on the greens and gave him the edge.
Another promising golfer, Mmula Keabetswe finished third in the tournament. There was another surprise as Drew Denyer from Zimbabwe made it to the top four while championship favourite Lucas came sixth. It was a disappointing show for Lucas, given that he has won the tournament several times.
Solly Adams and Lee Roy Peerman won Division A and B categories respectively. Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) sponsored the tournament with P30,000. Tournament organiser Joseph Marudu told Mmegi Sport that he was really impressed by Smith's performance and it shows that the youngster is responding well to the training programme in South Africa. "He gets a lot of play and coaching in South Africa hence his outstanding play," said Marudu, the acting Botswana Golf Union (BGU) executive secretary. He added that the programme has completely changed Smith's tactical awareness. Marudu expressed satisfaction about the level of competition exhibited by local golfers.
In two weeks' time, Smith, who plays for both senior and junior national teams, will lead a three-man side to the Africa World Junior Qualifiers to be held in Swaziland. Marudu strongly believes that the young golfers will do well at the tournament given the training they have been going through.
Meanwhile, Peter Podise of Francistown and Gaborone's Boitshepo Mfila were dropped out of the eight-member senior national team preparing for the Zone VI championships to be held in Ndola, Zambia on April 20-25. After performing well over the weekend, Mfila was put on standby incase anything happens to the first eight.
Caddy development programme product Dikgang Lemogang has replaced Podise. Marudu acknowledged that Podise is a very talented and versatile golfer but they had no choice when it came to dropping him because he failed to attend training camps and the Botswana Open. Podise did not pitch-up because of work commitments.
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"We had loved to have him (Podise) but circumstances did not allow it," Marudu said. The final senior national squad announced over the weekend has Kelosiwang, Lucas, Smith, Mmula Keabetswe, Seokemong, Kealeboga Makoko and Phenyo Lekgoa.
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