No player from the Rainbow Nation has been able to manage this since the inception on the qualifying way back in 1983.

The Grey College boy, who plays out of the Bloemfontein Golf Club, carded rounds of 66 and 67

Nienaber finished medallist on 8 under par after the 36-hole qualifying at Royal Aberdeen and Murcar. He bettered Norway’s Viktor Hovland by two shots after 4 under scores of 66 at Murcar and 67 at Royal Aberdeen. Canada’s Sam Meek finished third on 3 under par.

Nienaber warmed up for his first British Amateur with second place in the English Open Amateur Stroke Play, the Brabazon Trophy. He’s already won twice in South Africa this year, the Western Province Open Amateur and the Free State Open Amateur. He had 12 wins last year.

The plus-5 handicapper from the City of Roses has already received numerous offers to play College golf in the USA next year, however, his focus is on completing his matric this year, and only then he will make his decision.

“I’ve had a few offers. I can’t really say which colleges. I want to finish my exams at the end of the year and then decide.”

Nienaber is bidding to become the second young South African winner since Bobby Cole in 1966. Cole was 18 when he won.

“It’s a lucky number,” Nienaber said.

Should Nienaber will the British Amateur he will qualify to compete in the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie, the 2019 Masters at Augusta and the 2019 US Open at Pebble Beach.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport