Teenager shatters 3 South African golfing records

Daniel Bennett, a Grade 12 learner from Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria has made golfing history. The 17 year old learner shattered three South African golfing records during the 2023 Nomads SA Boys Under 19 Stroke Play Championship at Pecanwood Golf and Country Estate last week.

Bennett’s victory was nothing short of remarkable, as he dominated the field with a wire-to-wire 21-stroke lead, finishing with a stunning 34-under-par 254 score.

This achievement toppled the previous 72-hole tournament record of 29-under-par, which was held by Mark McNulty for 36 years, during the Royal Swazi Sun Classic.

“There are some great names on this trophy, like Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Dylan Frittelli, Thriston Lawrence and Jayden Schaper. I’m so happy that I get to add my name to this list – it really is something very special for me to win this way. As soon as I teed off on the first day, I never looked back,” said the champion.

His extraordinary feat is a testament to his dedication, hard work, and talent. As a member of the GolfRSA National Squad, he has shown immense potential and has proven himself to be one of the most promising young golfers in the country.

Moreover, Bennett set another record by claiming victory over Milnerton’s Matthew Lotz with a new winning margin record of 21 strokes. This margin was one better than the 20-stroke record set by reigning Amateur champion Aldrich Potgieter at Royal Cape Golf Club just 12 months ago.

This recent success comes on the back of a triumphant week for the young golfer, who also won the Northern Amateur Championships and the Dainfern College National Championships in early March.

‘We are incredibly proud of Daniel’s amazing achievement and wish him all the best for his future golfing endeavours. We are confident that he will continue to make great strides in the world of golf and inspire many others to follow in his footsteps,” says Pierre le Roux, Executive Head at Curro Hazeldean.