By KPC Sports Reporter
South Africa once again dominated the All Africa Junior Teams Championships after winning both the boys’ and girls’ competitions at the par-72 Windsor Golf and Country Club.
The victorious boys, represented by Andries Van Der Vyver, Cilliers Craig, Dewan De Bruin, and Roelof Craigled, led from start to finish, posting a combined score of 22 under, while the girls’ team finished 14 under.
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Kenya held second place from the first to the last day, with the boys scoring +13 and the girls +5.
These results mean South Africa and Kenya’s boys’ teams will represent Africa at the World Junior Championships in Japan in June, as the top two boys’ teams qualify, while in the girls’ competition, only South Africa earned a spot.
Andries Van Der Vyver finished as the best player at 15-under-par 201 after a final-day 4-under 72.
He picked three shots on the front nine, bogeyed the par-four second hole, and on the back nine, recovered from a double bogey on the par-four 11th with four birdies.
Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s junior Mwathi Gicheru recorded the best scores for Team Kenya boys with an overall one-over score.
“The experience was good. I cannot say it was easy; it was a bit hard. The course was long, the greens fast, but we played well. Finishing second behind South Africa shows we are strong and can compete with the best in Africa,” Gicheru said.
“I feel great. It is a dream come true to represent my country in a world event. We will work hard to perform well in Japan.”
In the girls’ competition, South Africa, represented by Lourenda Steyn, Phenyo Sebata, and Casey Twidale, finished 14 under, with Lourenda Steyn the best player at 8 under after three rounds.
Phenyo Sebata, dominant in the first two rounds, dropped six shots on the front nine and three on the back nine in the final round. Bianca Ngechu led the Kenyan girls with five over.
Team Kenya manager Vincent Mukiri praised the squad’s preparation, noting that the team was formed from a nine-month camp selecting four boys and three girls from 20 Order of Merit players.
“The second-place finish means a lot, especially on home soil. The boys qualified for Tokyo, and while the girls did not, we are lobbying relevant bodies to create pathways for them. Golf for girls is growing in Africa, and opportunities must expand alongside the boys’ programs,” Mukiri said.
Boys Final Leaderboard: 1. South Africa -22, 2. Kenya +13, 3. Morocco +18, 4. Uganda +25, 5. Zimbabwe +27, 6. Zambia +33, 7. Mauritius +49, 8. Namibia +52, 9. Botswana +55, 10. Ghana +76, 11. Egypt +86, 12. Tanzania +100, 13. Côte d’Ivoire +106, 14. Tunisia +130
Girls Final Leaderboard: 1. South Africa -14, 2. Kenya +5, 3. Morocco +29, 4. Zimbabwe +43, 5. Tunisia +45, 6. Uganda +61, 7. Botswana +87, 8. Ghana +104, 9. Mauritius +105, 10. Zambia +134, 11. Egypt +161
