GLORY FOR ALLISTER

Category: Sportelizabeth

Date Added: 2 March 2010

Allister de Kock of Uitenhage Golf Club went one better than last year when he beat Juan Viljoen of PE Golf Club 4 and 3 in the final of the EP Amateur at the St Francis Links.

Allister de Kock of Uitenhage Golf Club went one better than last year when he beat Juan Viljoen of PE Golf Club 4 and 3 in the final of the EP Amateur at the St Francis Links. Allister had come close last year, only to lose to Luke Jerling in the Championship match. As fate would have it, Allister got past Luke 5 and 4 in this year's semi-finals before going on to claim the biggest prize in EP Amateur Golf.  
There is no where to hide at the St Francis Links and no fiercer test than the EP Amateur as it demands 36 holes of strokeplay before the real fun starts with the matchplay. Allister opened with a superb round of 69 in the strokeplay but was undone with and 8 and a 6 on the par 3 8th and par 4 9th holes in the second round. "That stung right there," conceded Allister. "I really had to dig deep to regroup on the back nine which I was able to play in one over par. I was relieved to score 80 but it meant that I finished two shots behind Luke for the strokeplay title."

De Kock says that second round setback spurred him on in the matchplay section of the tournament which ultimately carries with it the tag of EP Amateur Champion. "I wanted the strokeplay title after that first round 69 and having missed out was even more determined to win the matchplay. It was difficult coming up against my interprovincial team mate and foursomes partner Peter Zingela early on as we're good friends and I've learnt a lot from him over the years. Zing was 2up at one stage but I brought it back on the back nine and was happy to advance 2 & 1."

In the quarter-finals, Allister was too good for David McMinn of Knysna, also winning 2 & 1. Now for the showdown he was dreading  a semi-final against Luke Jerling. "I knew that if I could get past Luke, I'd have one hand on the trophy. "He's such a tough competitor and I realized I'd have to get off to a fast start to have any chance of beating him." True to form, Allister played the front nine in three under par and after a lone dropped shot at the tough par 4 11th, reeled off birdies at 12, 13 and 14 to be five-under par when he shook hands for a superb 5 and 4 victory.

In the 36 hole final against young Juan Viljoen, Allister got a big wake up call early on after slipping four holes behind after the first nine. "That front nine was pretty awful but I clawed my way back to be one-down at lunch. I leveled the match on the 19th and then the momentum was firmly with me and I played level par golf from there in winning the final 4 & 3. It was very special having my dad Frans on my bag for the whole tournament. He is my greatest supporter and this win meant as much to him as it did to me."

Allister de Kock is 26 years-old now and a full time electrician at Gearmax at Uitenhage. "It pays the bills but it also has its challenges. I've previously won the Fish River Open and EP under-23 Champs and finished 6th or 7th on the last few order-of-merits with not a great deal of practice. I realize my work has its responsibilities but I've committed to practicing harder this year. Now that I've won the EP Amateur I must consolidate and go on and win the Order of Merit."
 
The "B" section final was played between Pieter Rademeyer from Adelaide Golf club and Hando Brophy of PE Golf Club. Rademeyer won 6 and 5.
The "A" section Plate Final was contested between Charl Nortier from PE  Golf Club and Vico Kuhn from Uitenhage Golf Club. After a titanic struggle, Kuhn prevailed on the 37th hole.