IN THE SPOTLIGHT

SENSATIONAL VAN TONDER WINS BACK-TO-BACK EVENTS

Daniel van Tonder continued his incredible form with a two-stroke victory at the MyGolfLife Open hosted by Pecanwood.

RORY M c ILROY CONQUERS A “CATHEDRAL” AT AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM

Leading by three strokes, Rory McIlroy was able to enjoy one of golf’s most spectacular walks. As a student of the game’s history, he could appreciate each step’s significance. He had removed his hat before both his playing competitors had hit their shots to the final green. McIlroy, 35, had won at one of golf’s most historic venues and done so in a dominating fashion that removed any stress from the final hole.

SA TEAMS SWOOP TO DOUBLE GOLFRSA INTERNATIONAL TRIUMPH

It was no-holds barred on moving day at the GolfRSA International Amateur Championships, as the Protea Men and Women scooped both Team Competition titles. Team South Africa Men posted a spirited nine-under 207 to put an exclamation mark behind a 19-shot wire-to-wire triumph. Kesha Louw, Lisa Coetzer and Zané Kleynhans kept the pressure up in the final round to cruise to a victory on eight-over 440, with Coetzer birdieing the 18th for a closing 74 and her partners signing off with rounds of 75.

BROWN CLOSES OUT GOLFRSA INTERNATIONAL WIN IN STYLE

Bobbi Brown was in a league of her own as she romped home by eight shots to take victory at the GolfRSA International Amateur Championship at Royal Johannesburg’s East Course. Her closing five-under-par 67 was comfortably the best round of the final day as she rammed home the advantage she had held since she took the lead in the second round with a six-under 66.

ARTHUR THE LIONHEART SEALS DREAM GOLFRSA INTERNATIONAL VICTORY

It took a gritty birdie on the first extra hole of a sudden-death playoff for Astin Arthur to overcome the challenge of Charl Barnard and win the GolfRSA International Amateur Championship at Royal Johannesburg’s East Course. In the final round, the pair went toe-to-toe on one of the country’s fabled championship courses, with Arthur’s bogey-free 68 trumping Barnard’s three-under-par 69 – and Barnard left ruing the lone bogey he made on the par-five 7th.

SA’S KIERON VAN WYK BECOMES FIRST AMATEUR TO WIN AN APGA EVENT

In his first tournament on the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Tour, 23-year-old Kieron van Wyk made history. The College of Charleston senior captured the APGA Tour’s season-opening Farmers Insurance Invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South), becoming the first amateur golfer to win an APGA event since the Tour started in 2010.

IMAGES: TYRONE WINFIELD/SUNSHINE TOUR/ERNEST BLIGNAULT/GOLFRSA/SUPPLIED