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Nel leads Momentum junior series fifth round

• 2 Days Ago 31 July 2025

Sam Nel was crowned champion of the recently concluded Momentum Junior Golf Series fifth round at Windhoek Golf Club.

The event brought together the country’s most promising young golfers, with strong performances, close competition and impressive sportsmanship across all age groups.

The tournament highlighted the depth of junior golfing talent in Namibia and reinforced the importance of sustained youth development. Backed by Momentum Namibia, the series serves as a key national ranking event and a selection platform for the junior national team.

Nel secured the overall title after carding a dominant 37 shots, holding off strong competition from Wouter Smith, who finished second with 34 shots.

Although Nel claimed the overall title, Smith earned top honours in Division A, reflecting the competitiveness at the top of the field.

In Division B, Nickalai van Vuuren posted a steady 40 shots to take first place. He was followed by Tapiwanashe Katsvara with 43 shots and Prince Robert Kahimise with 46 shots, both of whom were also recognised for their performances.

Division C was topped by Marcel Stiemert with 43 shots. Armand Nederlof finished second with 44 shots and Cyrus Basson placed third with 48 shots.

In Division D, which featured younger and emerging players, Zahnri Delport won with 28 Stableford shots. Matthew Garrels and Aidan Beuke finished second and third with 22 shots and 17 shots, respectively.



Age group winners

For the non-handicap age group divisions, stroke play was used to determine results, where the player with the lowest number of strokes won.

In the 16 to 19 boys category, Matthew Schlippers posted a remarkable 33 to win one of the lowest rounds of the day.

The 14 to 15 boys division was led by Franjo Steenkamp with a 36, followed by Nkosienhle Mhlanga on 37 and Leo Strohmenger on 38.

Among the 11 to 13 boys, Enzisia Nangolo claimed gold with a 37, while Cayden Vieira and Paul Kapia followed with solid scores.

On the girls’ side, Mieke Geldenhys continued her fine form in the 11 to 13 category, winning with a round of 45.

In the eight-to-ten boys division, Hanru Botes finished first with a 37. Robert Bravenboer and Vaughan Petersen completed the top three.

Manoèla Gustavo took top honours in the eight to ten girls category with a steady 44. Among the youngest competitors, in the six-to-seven boys category, Colin Shilongo shot a 48 to secure the win.



Momentum behind youth golf

With numerous junior golfers participating across divisions, the series continues to grow in reach and competitiveness.

Organisers noted the strong turnout, consistent Order of Merit participation and steady improvement in scoring, particularly in the under-19 and under-13 brackets.

“These results reflect the progress of the junior golf development system in the country and the lasting impact of Momentum’s ongoing support.

“The series now moves into its final rounds with the race for national team shots heating up. A special thanks goes to Momentum Namibia and Windhoek Golf Club for their continued investment in growing the game of golf from the grassroots up,” organisers said.