thought i'd add this article about my e/w fancy James Kingston. Wondering what bookmaker has got a tent at the tournament?!
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Kingston given 'caddie' boost (from official Nedbank challenge site)
- 03 December 2008 at 18:07
Golf Challenge rookie James Kingston has been given a massive vote of confidence by his caddie ahead of his debut at the prestigious Gary Player Country Club event.
Kingston and caddie Kevin Stone had just come off the course after a sweltering pro-am round when Stone announced he was stopping by the bookmaker's tent to put R1 000 on his man to win the tournament.
Kingston ended with a 70 on Wednesday and Stone, himself a seasoned Sunshine Tour pro, believes his great friend has every chance of claiming the $1.2 million first prize.
Stone, a top-class competitor on the Sunshine Tour in the 1990s, is caddying for Kingston thanks to a deal made many years ago when the pair were buddies in Rustenburg.
The deal was that if ever one of them managed to clinch a spot in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the other would caddie for him.
It looked one of those unlikely agreements that would never reach a pay-day, until two years ago when the Nedbank Golf Challenge's desire to have the tournament count for world ranking points meant they had to invite the Order of Merit winner.
Kingston's memorable triumph at the SAA Open at Pearl Valley last December sealed the title for the 42-year-old and he and Stone knew they had a date a Sun City.
Stone, of course, will be handsomely compensated for his time on the bag, but Kingston is certainly not here just to make up the numbers and take home the $200 000 guaranteed for finishing last.
Being close to home, the Gary Player Country Club has also seen a fair amount of the tall father of two since he knew he would be in the elite field.
"I've played some extra rounds here, maybe four or five, and I'm pretty happy with my preparations," Kingston said.
"I'm not one to talk about winning tournaments, I just go out there and do my best, that's as much as you can do. You don't beat anyone by saying you're going to win, you win by shooting the lowest score.
"But I will step out on the first tee with purpose. I'm not here just to take part, I'm here to be competitive and I feel comfortable with the way I am playing," Kingston said.
With the sun beating down and lifting the temperature to 35 degrees, and humidity adding to the discomfort, Kingston said the weather in the Pilansberg would be a plus for him, taking on a field that features two other South Africans, three Englishmen, two Spaniards, two Swedes, a South Korean and an American.
"I like this heat, it's much better than hiding behind an umbrella and not being able to feel my hands," he said.
The rough around the Gary Player Country Club has long been one of the key features of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and regular rain in North-West over the last two months has made it bare its teeth.
"The rough is severe, especially around the greens where it is really penal. There won't be any easy up-and-downs," Kingston said.
Kingston has plenty of experience of this course and is unlikely to over-attack, and could well be in with a shout at the end on Sunday.
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