By Staff Reporter
news@alexreporter.co.za
Tinashe Nyika stormed through the leaders, overtook them to win the Tebex Cup 2022 golf tournament at Germiston on Saturday.
Leagile Magasa could not believe how he lost the inaugural event having led the standings for almost 4 months.
Going into the final 18 holes of golf, Bongani Maseko, Mohera Boshomane and Magasa were all ahead of Nyika with Magasa almost declared a champion in waiting.
However, on the day with the scorching heat and the Tebex Cup pressure, the leading trio saw their lead evaporating under the heat and onslaughts of Nyika.
Nyika came a determined man as he loudly announced to the top 12 golfers just before the start on Saturday , that he was there to win and no one was going to stop him.
The great journeyman and super Zimbabwean international who plights his golf mostly at the Tembisa’s Ebuhleni Golf Course and Kempton Park proved too strong a contender on the day.
His play was brilliant more especially the 3rd shot he executed at the long water hole 9th
A high strike over the trees which also flew over the water to land within a metre of the cup and calmly made a great save.
Although Magasa succumbed to defeat, he gave a fair account of himself as he finished tied 4th on Saturday’s shoot out which earned him a 2nd spot finish overall.
Bongani Maseko was able to also not hold on as he started the day on 2nd spot, but was displaced to 3rd on the overall standings.
Golf is a cruel game, so said Maseko after he made a double triple bogey plus one on the final hole.
His 10 on that hole meant he could not win or hold on to the 2nd where he started the day from.
Mohera Boshomane had a nightmarish day, but was happy to finish 4th overall after failing to make any stride on the day.
Benjy Monyanyedi came 5th overall,thanks to a 3rd place finish on the Saturday final shootout. Benjy congratulated the winners and further said it is not easy playing in a field full of youngsters who bang the golf ball like Steven Mbewe.
Mbewe came a credible 6th having upstaged Kgomotso Marakalla and Joseph Mthembu who both started the day ahead of both Mbewe and Monyanyedi.
Young Mzwandile Mahlangu almost came to the party to help Magasa but fell short as he came 2nd to Nyika on the Saturday shoot out.
Should he have won the shootout on Saturday that would have allowed Magasa a saving grace to hold on to the lead and win. A bird that stays too long on the tree invites a stone so said many of the players out there referring to Magasa’s long time lead.
Indeed, a stone in the form of Nyika caught his lap and he could not swing the club that well.
George Mokela ,Peter Teffo and Andries Maenetja struggled with their golf swings as the daunting Germiston tree line golf course proved too much for them.
Mokela and Maenetja were amongst the group others hoped they will perform on the day and their failure to allow Nyika to displace Magasa from the top.
This event started in May 2022 , with almost more than 300 golfers who took part in groups of 40 to 48 each Sunday.The final 12 then went into the shootout which then was won by Nyika allowing him to win the trophy ,the money on offer for the 1st Prize as well as other electronic devices coutersy of Danyy Lathani , and Sipho Sidu and his associates who sponsored the event.
A great thanks goes to all the participants ,those who made the top 12 ,even those who did not qualify after almost 28 weeks of playing competive Sunday golf, thanks to Germiston Golf Club for availing their club to Tembisa for free and the Ekurhuleni Golf Union for organizing that for Tembisa Golf Club as well as, of course, all the sponsors who ensured all 12 men get prizes.
The final Top 12 standing are :
1.Tinashe Nyika (Tebex Champion 2022) …168 points 2.Leagile Magasa (Runner up)….167pts 3.Bongani Maseko…152 points 4.Mohera Boshomane… 147 points 5.Benjamin Monyanyedi…146 points 6.Steven Mbewe …140 points 7.Kgomotso Marakalla …140 points 8.Joseph Mthembu …140 pts 9 Mzwandile Mahlangu …139 pts 10.Andries Maenetja…133 pts 11. Peter Teffo …131 pts …12.George Mokela…120 points.