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IBGA EVENTS RESULTS

2023 IBGA World Championships and South African Open Results

Venue: Milnerton Golf Club, Cape Town

South African Open: March 27 - 28 2023

World Championships: March 30 - 31 2023

The 2023 ISPS Handa SA Blind Golf Open and International Blind Golf Association (IBGA) World Championships were staged at the picturesque Milnerton Golf Club in Cape Town at the end of March.

The IBGA World Championships, the first to be held on the continent of Africa, were long overdue having been initially planned to take place in 2020.

The outbreak of the COVID pandemic resulted in several postponements before the world's best blind golfers could eventually gather in Cape Town for the event.

The ISPS Handa SA Open

Despite several late withdrawals, 39 of the world's best blind golfers teed it up for the event. This is by far the largest field of blind golfers which have participated in the SA Open.

On the ladies side, there were only four competitors, which provided a great opportunity for a couple of the rising stars of the game to show their talents.

Local player, Charlene Pienaar (guided by Rachel Howard) did not disappoint. With very solid play Charlene won the ladies' gross and net titles, ahead of Austria's Karin Becker (gross) and Northern Ireland's Jan Dinsdale (net).

In the B3 men's category, Canadian Kiefer Jones (guided by mum, Deb) again showed off his talents and led from start to finish. John Eakin from England claimed the runnerup spot ahead of Australia's Paul McKenzie.

In the B2 men's category, the talented youngster Tyler Cashman (aged 20, and guided by grandfather George) finished ahead of Englishmen Andy Gilford and Steve Beevers, with South African Garrett Slattery in fourth.

The B1 men's title was won by Spaniard Alejandro de Miguel (guided by Javier Parrilla), who caused an upset by beating B1 World Champion Zohar Sharon (from Israel, guided once again by Shimshon Levi). Zohar finished as runner-up, with US player Mario Tobia in third.

In the men's net (across all sight categories), the top three places went to Tyler Cashman who was two shots ahead of John Eakin (runner-up) and Paul McKenzie (third). South Africa's Garrett Slattery finished fourth.

The IBGA World Championships

In the ladies' category, South African Charlene Pienaar held off a spirited challenge from Austria's Karin Becker to bring the B3 gross crown to South Africa. In doing so she becomes the first South African disabled lady golfer to win a world title. After Pieta le Roux (IBGA B2 Champion in 2008) and Garrett Slattery (IBGA B2 Champion in 2014), Charlene is SA Blind Golf's third IBGA World Champion.

In the ladies' net, Karin Becker edged home by one shot over Northern Ireland's Jan Dinsdale to win Austria's first blind golf World title.

In the B3 men's category it was very much as you were in the SA Open, with Canadian Kiefer Jones again putting on a dazzling display to finish ahead of Englishman John Eakin and Australian Paul McKenzie.

In the B2 men's category, the top four players from the SA Open again finished in the top four, but the order was shuffled round. England's Andy Gilford won his first World title with two very solid rounds, keeping out the newly crowned SA Open B2 Champion, USA's Tyler Cashman. In the battle for third, South Africa's Garrett Slattery edged out England's Steve Beevers.

In the men's B1 category Zohar Sharon from Israel, the defending B1 World Champion had the first round lead over the SA B1 Champion, Spaniard Alejandro de Miguel. Fortunes changed on the final day, however, with Alejandro putting in a good round to eclipse Zohar and thus to take his first World title.

Finally, in the men's overall net category, Englishman John Eakin (guided by club caddie, Leon) put together two very solid rounds to claim his first World title. John finished three shots ahead of South African Garrett Slattery with another Englishman, Andy Gilford a further shot back in third.

Achkowledgements

The SA Blind Golf Association would like to express our sincere thanks to all of those people and organisations who provided financial and other support which made this event possible.

Having spent over five years in the planning for this event, SABGA were immensely relieved to see everything go off so well. Even the notoriously unpredictable Cape weather played its part.

We also had tremendous media support. Lali Stander worked tirelessly to get reports on the events out to a very wide distribution network. This is something we could never have managed were it not for her drive and enthusiasm. Craig Sturton (from SADGA) also played a big part in spreading the word about the event.

Thanks too go to Louis Hattingh and the SuperSport Television crew for taking the time to come down to record some highlights. The media coverage we have had has been truly world class, so thanks to all involved.

As a final thank you, we the blind golfers give thanks to that dedicated group of people without whom none of this would have been possible, our guides. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be when your golfer once again hits the ball somewhere other than you aimed them. Keep up the good work!