Not even a two-hour delay due to dangerous weather could halt the relentless charge of South Africa’s top-ranked golfer – Caitlyn Macnab towards her place in golf history.
Macnab achieved the rare SA Amateur double winning the Aon Women’s South African Stroke Play Championships and Amateur Championships in the same calendar year.
The last time the double of the Aon South African Stroke Play Championship and the Aon South African Amateur Championship was achieved by both men and women was in 2007, when Ashleigh Buhai (Simon) and Louis de Jager prevailed.
Macnab celebrated her 18th birthday by claiming the SA Women’s Stroke Play Championship crown on Tuesday, 18 February 2020, and three days later, the Serengeti golfer downed 14-year-old Kyra van Kan 4&3 in the 36-hole match play final. She is the 13th calendar double champion of the women’s flagship events.
“To win one of these events is really special so to win both in the same year is just amazing.” – South African golfer, Caitlyn Macnab.
Macnab was a huge favourite to win the final as the number one ranked woman golfer in South Africa, but surprisingly she fell behind early to Van Kan.
“I think I was half asleep on the first nine,” she said. “I hit one green in the first seven holes and short-sided myself on the ones that I missed. Kyra was playing steady and all of a sudden, I was 3 down, so I had to work really hard to get it back.
She was two down after the first 18 holes but fought back and turned the match around, winning with a par on the 15th hole.
“It feels awesome,” Macnab said. “To win one of these events is really special so to win both in the same year is just amazing. This is two big items ticked off the bucket list, so I guess I’ll need to reset a few goals this year.”
“She’s done incredibly well and she’s really announced herself as someone to look out for in the future.” – Macnab speaks on Kyra Van Kan.
She had some words of encouragement for Van Kan, who was bidding to break Ashleigh Simon’s record as the youngest ever winner of the Aon SA Amateur Championship.
“I am so impressed by how Kyra carried herself and how she played the entire week,” said Macnab. “She’s done incredibly well and she’s really announced herself as someone to look out for in the future.”
The SA Women’s Amateur launched in 1906 and the SA Amateur dates back to 1892.
This year marked the first time in the history of the event that the men’s and women’s championships were played simultaneously, and the players enjoyed the experience tremendously.
“Having Aon as a sponsor has been incredible,” said Macnab. “The branding, the look and the feel of the championship was completely different.
“They have really lifted the scale of the event and we can feel it, especially on the women’s side. It felt like a professional golf tournament, like when you go to the South African Open.
“Sharing the championship with the men has been great. The vibe was fantastic, even if we sometimes bumped elbows on the putting green. It was great to go and cheer the guys on in their qualifier, and then to see them return the favour and support us in the SA Stroke Play final. The vibe has been good and we’ve all cheered each other on.”
Photo 1 Caption: 2020 Aon SA Women’s Amateur Champion Caitlyn Macnab. Photo: Ernest Blignault
With editing by gsport
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