Defeat has never tasted sweeter

The SAGDB team that competed in the junior international event.

"They say victory tastes sweet, but for us, defeat tasted even sweeter," said Calvin Coelho of Kwazulu Natal, who captained a team of nine SA Golf Development Board (SAGDB) players in a first ever international Junior Invitational held at Houghton Golf Club in March.

"Don't misunderstand me," Coelho explained. "I'm not saying that we were happy with losing, but we looked at this tournament beyond the score line." We were the first nine players ever to be selected to represent the SAGDB in an international event. We were given a once in a lifetime opportunity to play against the best players from Scotland and the SA Junior Golf Foundation. "For us this tournament was about much more than winning games. It was about gaining invaluable experience, striking new friendships and learning about ourselves. That is why I believe we all came away as winners."

The SAGDB players finished the two-day tournament in third place on 11.5 points. After one round of foursomes and two rounds of singles, the top 18-year-olds who represented the South African Junior Golf Foundation won the tournament on 34 points and the Scottish team, comprising members of their Mens and Junior Elite Squads, took second place on 23.5 points.

On the surface, the final numbers may not have been in the SAGDB team's favour, but if one looks a little deeper at their individual performances, you unravel a story of grit, determination, commitment and, undoubtedly, talent.

In the foursomes, Bolanders Cedric Rooi and Jacquin Hess forced a 2 & 1 win over Scottish Amateur Champion Glenn Campbell and former Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit winner, Steven McEwan. They also combined well to halve their match against the Junior Foundation's Matthew Versfeld and Kyle Lucas.

In the Singles matches, the 21-year-old Rooi came up against 2008 Scottish Boys Stroke Play champion, Mark Bookless and Paul Shields, a recent Academy graduate to the Men's Elite Squad. He thrashed Bookless 5 & 4 and defeated Shields 4 & 3.

In his first match against the Foundation, Rooi beat their captain Versfeld 2&1 and claimed his biggest scalp of tournament when he thumped South Africa's number two ranked player, Danie van Tonder, 2 & 1.

"It was a great feeling to win all four my Singles matches," said the SAGDB thoroughbred. "It is always great when you win consistently, because you know that you are improving. But I have to give credit to the team, too. As they finished, they joined the match and supported me all the way against Shields and Van Tonder. I wanted to win for the team and the managers and for Mr. Rupert, who gave us this amazing opportunity."

In his first round of singles, Hess played Scotland's Kris Nicol, who arrived in South African fresh from reaching the knock-out stages of the Spanish Amateur Championship. The 20-year-old industrial relations student won 3 & 2 from the Scot.

Hess managed to push all three of his matches to the 16th hole and beyond.

After a thorough thrashing in the foursomes with Mark Mahoney, the Free State's Makgheta Mazibuko regrouped. He halved against Scotland's Gordon Yates and lost to Van Tonder in the first round of Singles, but came out guns blazing in the final round.

The 21-year-old cleaned up against Yates to win 3 & 2 and finished off 2010 SA Amateur runner-up, Allan Versfeld, with a 5 & 4 thrashing. Over the last eight holes, Mazibuko squeezed an eagle into a run of five birdies and a brace of pars to wrap things up at the 16th hole on seven under par.

"We've only seen golf like that on a Play-Station, so that's what we will be calling him from now on," said Coelho. "Seriously though, that is the kind of performance that makes us feel like winners, not losers."

Mazibuko and Rooi were not the only stars of the team, though. Even the youngest players on the team did their bit.

Eighteen-year-old Phiwakahle Mkhoma of Kwazulu-Natal beat reigning Scottish Boys Stroke Play Champion, Jack McDonald, 2 & 1 in his first Singles match while 17-year-old Majalefa Xaba from the Free State halved against 18-year-old Scott Gibson, making his debut for the Scottish senior team.

"It was an awesome opportunity and I was really sorry when the tournament finished," said Xaba.

Mkhoma concurred. "I would have loved to have had another round against those guys, just to show them what we are made of. But overall, I'm really proud of the team. We did our best."

'Play-Station' Mazibuko agreed, saying that he really hopes the team will get another chance like this to show their worth.

"I don't think we realised just how big this tournament was going to be," he said. "But, our team spirit was fantastic and the guys really supported each other."

"We only had half a day's worth of practice and I think we could have done with a bit more time. I think if we get another opportunity like this, the opposition had better watch out."

As Coelho said, the SAGDB players may have finished last, but in no sense of the word did they lose. This Junior Invitational was a win for them all the way to the 18th.