Nienaber claims Gauteng North Stroke Play with final-round 62
Wilco Nienaber (SA Golf Association photo)
PRETORIA, South Africa (Jan. 27, 2019) – With a final-round 62,
Wilco Nienaber claimed the Gauteng North Amateur Stroke Play title in his home country. That makes title No. 10 (at least in events recognized by the World Amateur Golf Ranking) for Nienaber over the past year.
At Silver Lakes Country Club, Nienaber put together rounds of 68-74-68-62 for a 16-under 272 total that left him three shots ahead of three men tied for second. Those chasers include Garrick Higgo, Casey Jarvis and Aneurin Gounden. Higgo gave the best chase, turning in a final-round 66 to climb into his position.
As for Nienaber, last summer he was stroke-play medalist at the British Amateur. He edged Norway’s Viktor Hovland, who would go on to win the U.S. Amateur, to claim that honor. The week before that, Nienaber was runner-up at the English Open Amateur Stroke Play, otherwise known as the Brabazon Trophy.
Nienaber mostly plays in his native South Africa, but told
Golfweek writer Alistair Tait at the British Amateur that
he would be interested to play for a college in the United States. He has competed a handful of times in the U.S., most notably winning the 2017 Greg Norman Academy Junior Invitational.
Nienaber is currently ranked No. 33 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Rankings, the highest South African.
ABOUT THE
Gauteng North Open Amateur
72 hole stroke play championship with a cut
after 36 holes. Open to any male Amateur who is a full
member of a Golf Club
affiliated to a Union recognised by the S.A.G.A. and
who at the time of submitting this entry
shall have a handicap index of 4 or less.
View Complete Tournament Information