The world of golf has opened up for young South African Casey Jarvis.
The 22-year-old won the 115th Investec South African Open Championship at Stellenbosch Golf Club on Sunday to not just add his name to South African golf history, but also secure exemptions into The Masters in April and The Open in July this year.
As golf dreams go, it’s one of the biggest for this young star of the game who has come through the ranks of GolfRSA, and who with this victory has now won every major national amateur and professional trophy in South African golf.
“It just feels amazing. To be standing in this position right now, I truly feel on top of the world,” said Jarvis.
In one of the most composed rounds of his professional career, Jarvis beat a tough Stellenbosch Golf Club course, rain, and a lightning delay to close with a final round of 67 and win by three strokes on 14 under par.
South Africa’s Hennie du Plessis, France’s Frederic Lacroix and Italy’s Francesco Laporta shared second place on 11 under par. Lacroix and Laporta took the other two exemptions into The Open that were on offer in this championship.
“There were so many people that came to watch and it was fantastic. Hennie (Du Plessis) and Francesco (Laporta) played great golf, but I knew I had to just keep making pars and I did that pretty well,” said Jarvis.
“As South African golfers we all dream of winning our home Open and to have done it feels amazing. I just can’t wait to go to Augusta. It’s so cool. I’ve got no words to describe the feeling. Hopefully Tiger Woods is playing because he’s my role model. And to play The Open with all of its history is unreal. I can’t wait.”
Jarvis went into the final round one stroke clear of the field and kept himself in front all day, even when he made a bogey on the 10th, on his way to back-to-back victories on the DP World Tour after winning in Kenya the week before. Jarvis is the second South African after Jayden Schaper to win back-to-back on the DP World Tour this season.
Charl Barnard won the Freddie Tait Cup for the leading amateur after finishing on level par with a closing 68. “If you told me three years ago I’d even be playing in the Investec SA Open, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. Things can change very, very quickly,” he said.
It was indeed a dream Sunday for South African golf, with record crowds for the national Open.
And they came to cheer for Jarvis, who was a young amateur with the biggest dreams when he worked as a volunteer at the 2017 Investec South African Open just so he could watch Rory McIlroy play.
On Sunday at Stellenbosch Golf Club, he played his way into South African golf history.
And the entire world of golf has opened its arms to him.
SCORES
266 – Casey Jarvis 67 68 64 67
269 – Frederic Lacroix 69 71 64 65
269 – Francesco Laporta 66 64 70 69, Hennie du Plessis 70 63 67 69
270 – Eddie Pepperell 70 67 69 64
272 – Adrian Otaegui 67 68 70 67
272 – Haydn Porteous 67 69 68 68, Daniel van Tonder 72 68 64 68
273 – Wilco Nienaber 70 66 72 65
273 – Ewen Ferguson 68 72 67 66, Rafa Cabrera Bello 70 68 67 68, Angel Ayora 67 70 67 69, Nathan Kimsey 66 65 72 70
274 – Freddy Schott 69 72 70 63
274 – Alex Fitzpatrick 68 71 70 65, Bernd Wiesberger 68 69 71 66, Alejandro Del Rey 65 69 71 69, Joe Dean 65 68 71 70, Kieron van Wyk 70 69 64 71
275 – Matthew Jordan 68 70 72 65
275 – Dean Burmester 65 67 72 71, Branden Grace 69 66 69 71, Calum Hill 70 67 65 73
276 – Matteo Manassero 70 71 70 65
276 – Todd Clements 70 68 70 68, Antoine Rozner 68 68 71 69, Jason Scrivener 69 70 68 69, Romain Langasque 70 68 68 70
277 – Louis Albertse 69 70 72 66
277 – Julien Guerrier 69 69 72 67, Martin Couvra 73 67 70 67, Niklas Norgaard 70 69 70 68, Patrick Reed 71 69 69 68, Wenyi Ding 69 71 69 68, Marcus Armitage 70 70 69 68, Scott Jamieson 72 69 68 68, Oliver Lindell 65 72 70 70, Herman Loubser 66 67 73 71, Johannes Veerman 66 70 70 71, Jayden Schaper 68 71 67 71, Andy Sullivan 73 67 66 71, Xander Basson 67 70 66 74
278 – David Ravetto 71 69 72 66
278 – Pierre Viallaneix 71 65 73 69, Hennie Otto 70 68 71 69, Darren Fichardt 70 69 70 69, Daniel Rodrigues 72 67 70 69, Rikuya Hoshino 67 67 72 72, Sam Bairstow 69 70 67 72
279 – Manuel Elvira 74 67 69 69
279 – Brandon Stone 69 69 71 70, Shaun Norris 70 70 67 72, Darius van Driel 71 69 67 72
280 – Charl Barnard 71 69 72 68
280 – Malcolm Mitchell 70 67 72 71, Dylan Frittelli 67 73 69 71
281 – Robin Williams 68 70 74 69
281 – Kota Kaneko 71 66 74 70, Samuel Simpson 70 71 68 72, Benjamin Follett-Smith 71 69 67 74, Kiradech Aphibarnrat 67 67 72 75, JC Ritchie 71 68 67 75
282 – Justin Harding 70 71 71 70
282 – Jacob Olesen 75 66 70 71, Justin Walters 71 65 74 72, Dian Kruger 70 68 72 72, Tyran Snyders 70 70 70 72, Altin van der Merwe 68 70 71 73, Jens Dantorp 72 69 67 74
283 – Jeff Winther 68 69 70 76
285 – Marcus Kinhult 73 68 72 72
285 – Keenan Davidse 72 66 68 79
286 – Ugo Coussaud 70 70 74 72
286 – Ockie Strydom 70 67 75 74
289 – Ryggs Johnston 74 67 75 73
289 – Karabo Mokoena 70 71 74 74
291 – Logan Leisher 72 69 74 76
291 – MJ Viljoen 69 68 74 80
Photo: Sunshine Tour
Article Link: Jarvis crowned national champion, books Augusta trip