South African Amateur: Benjamin Weber wins medalist honors

Benjamin Weber finished on top of the leaderboard of the 36-hole qualifying stroke play at the South African Amateur Championship at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Weber shot a solid first round of 3-under 69, but a final round of 6-under 66 propelled him past the field and won the medalist honors by one shot.

Weber recorded two birdies, an eagle, and a bogey in his first round and six birdies and no bogeys in his second round. He started the tournament with an eagle on the par-5 No. 1 and a bogey on No. 2 and did not make another bogey over the next 34 holes while making eight birdies and 26 pars in that stretch.

Simon du Plooy and Lars van der Vight finished T2, and just one shot back of Weber at 8-under. Plooy shot rounds of 69-67, and Vight shot rounds of 68-68.

In the final round, he made birdies on Holes No. 1, 8, 9, 13, 16, and 18 to win. The birdie on the par-5 No. 18 was needed, as runner-ups Plooy and Vight also made birdie on the final hole. 

Daniel Bennett finished in solo fourth place at 7-under, and Gary Kemp, Jordan Burnand, and Nash de Klerk finished T5 at 6-under. Burnand won the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship over the weekend.

The South African Amateur is the premier match-play event in South Africa. The championship starts with 36 holes of stroke play qualifying, from which the low 64 advances to match play.