HISTORIC NOMADS SA BOYS VICTORY RECORD-BREAKER BENNETT

players as he reeled in 10 birdies for a flawless opening round of 10-under-par.

Daniel Bennett shattered three South African golfing records as he marched to a wire-to-wire 21-stroke victory in the 2023 Nomads SA Boys Under 19 Stroke Play Championship at Pecanwood G&CE

Thirty-six years since Mark McNulty won the Royal Swazi Sun Classic with a 72-hole tournament record of 29-under-par, Bennett penned his name in the history books as the new record holder with a 34-under-par 254 victory.

Moreover, the GolfRSA National Squad member’s victory over Milnerton’s Matthew Lotz was a new winning margin record, one better than the 20-stroke record set by reigning Amateur champion Aldrich Potgieter at Royal Cape Golf Club just 12 months ago.

“It’s something special for me to win this way,” said the beaming champion. “As soon as I teed off on the first day, I never looked back. There are some great names on this trophy, like Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Dylan Frittelli, Thriston Lawrence and Jayden Schaper. I’m thrilled that I get to add my name to the list. If I can continue playing some good golf, hopefully I can reach the levels they have reached in the game.”

Bennett came into the week on the back of his Cobra | Puma Northern Amateur Match Play victory and immediately fired a shot across the bows of all the

The 17-year-old Silver Lakes golfer was even more clinical in his second trip around the Jack Nicklaus signature course. He fired nine birdies and eagled the par-five 10th for a 36-hole total of 21-under-par 128, beating the previous record set by Hennie Otto in the 2010 Vodacom Championship at Pretoria CC by three shots.

Bennett dropped his first – and only shot – of the tournament in the third round, but immediately expunged the solitary bogey at the par-four fourth