South African Glory; Rebula Wins British Amateur

ABERDEEN, Scotland (July 23, 2018) -- Jovan Rebula bested a field of 32 golfers to complete his win this week at The 123rd Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen. From the gate, the 20-year-old South African controlled the match, never trailing through 36-holes of his 3&2 victory over Ireland's Robin Dawson. Jovan's first strike came on the 6th hole, where he would make a winning birdie to take a lead. The match was fairly close for most of the afternoon, with Rebula's lead within three until the 26th hole, where he would roll in a birdie to push the lead to four, then winning the 27th to hold his biggest lead of the day. Despite a late effort to come back by Dawson, the South African's lead would hold up. “It’s unreal. It’s really something that is hard to describe. I feel like many have been in this position before but its an unreal feeling," said Rebula of his victory. "It hasn’t sunk in quite yet but hopefully tomorrow morning I can wake up and I will feel a little different. Growing up in South Africa The Open Championship is the major that you want to win." Rebula, who is the nephew of British Open Champion Ernie Els becomes the first South African to hold the Amateur Champion title since Bobby Cole won the event at Carnoustie in 1966. His victory warrants him a spot in the upcoming British Open, as well as a place at the 2019 U.S. Open and Masters Tournament. Next year's British Amateur Championship will be played at Portmarnock and The Island from 17 to 22 June, 2019. HOST COURSE Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Aberdeen, Scotland, was founded in 1780 and claims to be the sixth oldest golf club in the world. The Club hosted the 2011 Walker Cup, which saw the GB&I defeat USA. (A young Jordan Spieth was a member of the USA team that year.) The course -- referred to as Balgownie Links -- sits hard by the North Sea, with holes running out and back. The legendary first hole starts at the clubhouse and ventures straight downhill to the Sea, with large oil platform supply vessels anchored at the ready to head out to the many rigs at sea. It's an almost strange, yet peaceful site as you try to find the tight fairway below.