Jamieson Needing To Again Shine Brightly In The Rainbow Nation

Scott Jamieson is needing to draw strongly this week on his fondness for South African golf if the Scot is to qualify for next week’s elite season-ending event in Dubai.

Jamieson, 35 has joined top-Scot Bob MacIntyre and Richie Ramsay teeing-up in today’s (THURS) commencing Nedbank Challenge at Sun City to the north-west of Johannesburg.

Last week’ Turkish Airlines Open delight of a share of 10th in Belek secured Jamieson a start in this week’s $US 7.5m event and boasting the Tour’s highest-ever first prize pay-out of $US 3m that’s up $US 1/2m on last week’s then richest-ever.

One of the more unique trophies ever to be presented to the winner of a golf event with Scott Jamieson winning the 2012 Nelson Mandela Championship but where is the trophy now?

Though Jamieson will require a top-five at worst to jump from his present Race to Dubai standing of 65th to inside the top-50 and be jetting off to the UAE.

Jamieson has been travelling to the African continent since gaining his full Tour card for the 2011 season and then in just his fourth event, the Scot secured a then best result with sixth in the Joburg Open.

Undoubtedly, Jamieson’s brightest showing in the Rainbow Nation was a three-event stretch in winning the inaugural 2012 Nelson Mandela Challenge in early December in Durban and a week later finishing third at the Alfred Dunhill at Leopard Creek

He returned to Durban for a first event of 2013 where Jamieson was a gallant second to local hero, Louis Oosthuizen at the Volvo Champions.

In Jamieson’s first and only other Nedbank Challenge showing he was second in 2017 to Branden Grace while last December, and in his first event of the 2018/19 schedule, he grabbed another third place in the Alfred Dunhill.

Jamieson said: “I’ve always enjoyed competing in South Africa and now in teeing-up in the Nedbank I have very good memories having finished runner-up two years ago.

“I played really well that week ending just a shot behind Branden, so hopefully I can repeat that form this coming week.

“It’s just nice to have qualified for the Nedbank as I was well down the entry list last week in Turkey as first reserve but the top-10 in Turkey was good.

“I have only played Sun City the once and finished second so I will tee-up drawing on those memories and knowing I did play well there in 2017.   It was a great result for me that helped secure a career best Race to Dubai season for me (26th and 4 places higher than 31st in 2013).

“So, hopefully this week will be no different and while I don’t know what I will need to do to get into Dubai, it would be good to be adding a second extra end-of-season event.”

If there is any South African disappointment for Jamieson he says it was not receiving a trophy in winning the Nelson Mandela Championship, and near on a year before Mandela passed away.

He said: “I never received a trophy though I have a portrait of me with the trophy and it hangs in our house.

“Well, it doesn’t actually hang in our house but that’s a long story and involves our move but it will hang in our new house.

“Of course, it will take pride of place when we finally get it out of storage.”

Also needing a strong South African showing is Ramsay who is currently eight spots shy of heading onto to Dubai.

While Nedbank organisers have grouped MacIntyre with ‘Rookie of the Year’ rival, Kurt Kitayama.



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