Heinrich Bruiners, a leading member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, secured a second successive top-10 finish in the Joburg Open on Sunday, where his 13-under-par total earned him a share of sixth at Houghton Golf Club, eight shots behind eventual winner Dan Bradbury of England.
Having finished ninth in last year’s tournament, which was shortened to 36 holes due to unplayable weather, Bruiners had a point to prove coming into this week’s event.
“This week’s results mean so much to me,” said a visibly emotional Bruiners after his bogey-free round of 66 on Sunday. “Last year when I came ninth, there were a lot of comments about how it was a two-day event and that maybe I couldn’t have achieved that in a regular four-day tournament. There were a lot of comments about how lucky I was, so I just wanted to prove a point to myself that I belong here.
“And to do it without dropping a shot in the final round is something that I will remember, especially under the circumstances here. Coming down the stretch I kept telling myself that I can do this and that I belong on this stage. I kept telling myself that the whole day. It took a lot of mental strength because the delays did break the momentum, especially on the second day. I told myself that I belong here and I have worked very hard for this.”
The weather-enforced stoppages during the first two rounds would have thrown many players off but Bruiners, who boasts one victory on the Sunshine Tour, wasn’t going to allow anything to distract him.
“I just had to calm myself down in the first two days,” he revealed, “because so many times you want to rush things and just want to get off the course. But, I was calm and I wanted to play the next shot well, and the next. I enjoyed the week and I look forward to building on this result”
Bruiners wasn’t the only member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class in the field on the weekend at Houghton. Nikhil Rama finished in a share of the 33rd after a six-under-par tournament total, while the pair of Jacquin Hess and young Jordan Duminy, who was making his debut appearance in the Joburg Open, finished T72nd and 75th, respectively.
“I enjoyed the week so much,” said Duminy. “These guys here are some of the very best in the world, so just making the cut over here tells me that I can play some golf. I am really grateful to have received an invitation. Now, I can look forward to putting four rounds together in the coming tournaments.”
The Papwa Sewgolum Class is a Sunshine Tour initiative aimed at combining more playing opportunities with support from major corporates to promote greater inclusion in the game for historically disadvantaged players.
By Matthews Mfubu (Fullpage Media and Communications)
