18 May 2014

Team Botswana golf manager, Joseph Marudi believes there will be fireworks at the golf course as he expects his two ‘boys,’ who will be representing the country at the African Youth Games to out-do their opponents.

Marudi was optimistic that Leroy Peerman and Baatile Mangole would want to prove that homeground advantage was the best weapon as they wait to host the continent.

The two were familiar with the Gaborone Golf Club (GCC) course where the golf code games would be staged. The duo was the only two players in Botswana to have won the most valuable player in the country a couple of times.

In fact, Leroy,17, relocated from Selebi Phikwe to Gaborone in February to start his training at the golf course and to make final touches in preparations for the tournament while Baatile was a regular at the course. Leroy had bullied his way through by terrorising some of the best golfers and winning several tournaments in the process.

This year, he walked away with the Central championship in Selibe Phikwe. In February this year, he was a marvel at the South Africa Amateur Open in Cape Town and in Rustenburg for the North West Province Open even though he did not make the cut.

He was also charming at the Zone 1V Open in April at Steenburgen where he won three matches and halved one out of four matches, becoming the best overall player of the tournament.

As if that was not enough, Leroy left another mark at the All Africa Junior Challenge in Lusaka, Zambia, this year after beating two South Africans and one Ugandan to occupy fourth position in a tournament that was attended by 12 countries.

Considering his achievements in the game of golf such as being the runner-up in the Botswana Open which was held in Orapa and the Southern Open held in Lobatse, many analysts of the game are not shaken in their believe that Leroy is the best young player of the year.

While 16-year-old Baatile grabbed media attention when he won the A Division championships at the just ended Jwaneng Junior Open golf tournament where he made sure the spotlight was firmly on him to claim his victory.

This is one ‘boy’ who is a fast learner, having started golf not long ago, but the way he has improved has been amazing from December last year to now. He is one player who has the heart when playing.

He is not easily intimidated by any other player, no matter how strong a player is. He is one young player who can build a commanding stroke lead to the final day.

Baatile has been under the tutelage of different golf experts in the preparation for the tournament.

The tournament will be based on a 54 hole ‘stroke play’ which involves counting the total number of strokes taken on each hole during a given round, or series of rounds and the winner is the player who has taken the fewest number of strokes over the course of the round, or rounds.

The prize will be based on individual score and better ball. ENDS