Jared Rabe from Polokwane Golf Club launched a final nine-hole charge to snatch the title with a two-point victory in the GolfRSA 9-Hole Challenge Final at Zwartkop Country Club.

Rabe, playing off a 20.1 handicap index and a 21 playing handicap, scored 24 Stableford points in his final round of four sets of nine holes, to finish two ahead of runner-up Derick Turner. The Durbanville amateur – off 3.8 index and a 3 playing handicap – had led throughout after an opening haul of 21 points.

Six behind after the first two rounds, Rabe had an eight-point deficit to Turner starting the final round. His 24-point haul over the last nine holes trumped the 14 that Turner managed to scrape together in the final round – including a five-pointer on the par-four 14th, where he double-stroked.

'The ball just bounced right for me and the putts fell. The ball hopped right in the fairways, and I came out of the bunkers well. That's golf for you – when it works, it works,' said the winner.

'Derick and I played together on the last day, so I knew what was going on most of the time. It didn't really turn into a match play situation, because I was just trying to make as many points as possible. That's all I could do.'

In the first two editions of the GolfRSA Race to the R&A 9-Hole Challenge, the two leading players from the National Final qualified for the big prize, which was a spot in the R&A 9-Hole Challenge Final in the UK, hosted at a similar time to The Open.

Logistical difficulties meant that the R&A changed that mid-way through the South African campaign this year. With a trip to the Open still up for grabs, and the monetary value of the prize too high for an amateur golfer to accept through a golf competition, there was a lucky draw during the opening dinner, and two players won trips to the UK.

Rabe won a golf bag, a putter, balls, shoes and a cap, as well as celebratory bottle of champagne, all worth over R13 000.

'We were really spoiled with incredible prizes from Srixon, Cleveland, Adidas, Anthonij Rupert Wyne and the R&A, with The Courier Guy making sure it all got delivered. It was great to see so many of the finalists rewarded; there was even a coastal versus inland competition. Yes, the trip to the UK for the Open would have been a great prize to win, but you know, stuff happens. None of us felt hard done by, and the win was just as satisfying for me.

'Hats off to GolfRSA, and Paul and Brit Adams. The final contest was very well organised, and we were treated like champions. Zwartkop Country Club is an amazing track, and besides the wonderful food, they had superb coffee, which pleased me as a coffee drinker! The sponsors were fantastic, and I think there should be even more emphasis on the marketing of the contest,' added Rabe.

GOLFRSA