31 MAY - 2 JUNE 2024
2021 RESULTS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SCORE CAPTURE
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Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Davids
Marc Jury, CEO of SuperSport
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Corné Krige and J.P. Pietersen
2021 - CAN IT GET ANY BETTER?
There was a great deal of anticipation as the participants arrived for the 18th edition of the BCX Supersport Shootout at the Val de Vie Estate, home to the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at Pearl Valley, which would play host to two days of fun yet competitive golf. As usual, there were three separate competitions being played: the individual net medal competition, a better-ball medal competition and then the Ryder Cup-style format, pitting the BCX and Supersport teams against each other under the captaincy of CEO’s Jonas Bogoshi and Marc Jury respectively.
While representatives of the football, rugby and cricket fraternities competed with two teams from sponsors ABSA for the coveted ABSA Superskills trophy on the Friday afternoon, captains Bogoshi and Jury were competing in front of the magnificent clubhouse for the traditional Captain’s Challenge and the chance to win the first point for their teams.
Each captain was given three golf balls to chip from just off the edge of the practice green, the closest to the designated pin being declared the winner under the watchful eye of Supersport commentator Dave Usendorff. The BCX captain showed deft touch in hitting three superb chip shots, the closest being just a couple of feet from the hole; the challenge had been set.
Supersport’s captain hit two excellent chips with his first two attempts, but neither was able to trump his opponent. Then, in true dramatic ‘made for television’ style, his final attempt rolled perfectly into the hole to win the challenge and set the tone for the remainder of the weekend. Big smiles all round but plenty of competitive juice flowing as well!
As each player, guest and crew member arrived, they had to conduct a Rapid Antigen test to ensure that the strict Covid controls established for the event were met and that there was a safe ‘bubble’ environment was created within which the tournament could take place.
The welcome event took place at the magnificent Polo Pavilion, where guests were treated to an exhibition polo match while enjoying their welcome drinks. The two captains arrived in style in one of BMW’s superb courtesy vehicles and tossed the coin to see who would throw in the ball for the final chukka of the polo match. Ominously, Captain Jury won the toss…
The captains continued their banter ahead of the golf that would follow over the next two days, urging their team members to put personal ambition aside and focus on winning the team competition. As always, some of South Africa’s most revered sportsmen and businessmen were in attendance and the players teed off in perfect conditions for Saturday’s first round. Former Springboks Patrick Lambie and JP Pietersen were two of the players making their first appearances in the tournament.
At the end of the first round, Team Supersport had built up a commanding lead over Team BCX of 57 points to 39, but knew full well that a year earlier they had held a similar lead before going on to lose the trophy following a big Sunday performance from BCX.
Sunshine Tour commissioner, Thomas Abt, was in superb form and held the first round lead with an excellent net round of 3-under par 69, while also combining superbly with partner Byron Petzer to hold the lead in the better-ball competition with a score of 10-under par 62.
Breathing down his neck in both formats was former Springbok wing Breyton Paulse, just one shot adrift in the individual competition and the better-ball with partner Riyaad Peer.
Saturday’s gala dinner and auction was a stylish affair held in the magnificent L’Hugenot wine cellar situated on the Val de Vie Estate, thanks largely to the vision and generosity of Hein Koegelenberg from Rupert Family Wines. The players gathered on the lawns before sunset, fitted out in their team blazers supplied by Khaliques, with the compliments of BCX.
In a moving tribute to former Team BCX captain and prominent business leader Jabu Mabuza – who had sadly passed away earlier in the year – Imtiaz Patel and Moss Ngoasheng spoke from the heart and, in the presence of Jabu’s children, the event trophy was re-named the ‘Jabu Mabuza Memorial Trophy’, fitting recognition for his immense contribution to the event and its beneficiaries over the years. Jabu's unwavering spirit lingered throughout the evening and the tidy sum of R810 000 was raised for the event charities, The Val de Vie Foundation and LIV Village, Dave Usendorff once again doing a superb job with the auction.
On the second day of golf, Team Supersport didn’t make the mistakes of the previous year and consolidated their position to win the team title by 101.5 points to 90.5. Captain Marc Jury was all smiles as he lifted the crystal trophy.
Paulse proved just too good for the rest of the field in both the individual and better-ball competitions, he and Peer adding a second round of 64 to their opening 63 for a total of 17-under, to take the better-ball title by five shots from the fast-finishing pair of Mark Anders and Ian Eveleigh, whose second round of 62 was the best of the day. Abt and Petzer shared third place with Dave Stafford and Graham Berry, both pairs finishing a further stroke back at 11-under par.
Paulse’s consistency ultimately won him the individual title. Having scored a 2-under par 70 to be one shot adrift of Abt overnight, he added an identical second round to be the only player to finish under par over the two rounds and secure a five shot win over Shaheen Vawda, who finished on 1-over. Henry Davids and Francois Pienaar shared third place, a further shot back.
As usual, the combination of business, sport and government provided an ideal environment for networking, friendships, camaraderie and fund-raising. The players were blown away by every element of the event, from reception to departure. Most importantly the relaxed atmosphere and the spirit in which the golf was played, firmly cemented the reputation of the BCX Supersport Shootout as one of the best amateur golf, lifestyle and networking events in the world.
A tournament of champions in name and nature.
2021
IN PHOTOS
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