South African Jovan Rebula will face Ireland’s Robin Dawson in the 36-hole Amateur championship final at Royal Aberdeen today.
Rebula sealed his place in the final in style yesterday as he blew away his opponent, Englishman Mitch Waite, by winning three of the first four holes.
After the pair halved the opener Waite conceded both the second and third, he went three down to a birdie at the fourth and another concession at the sixth took Rebula to four up, by the turn the Englishman was five down, and after that the South African strengthened his grip to win 6 and 4.
Waite’s task got decidedly tougher on the sixth, when, at four down, he accidentally snapped his driver flexing it over his shoulder blades.
A delighted Rebula said: “I’ve been playing well this week, hitting it well and applying pressure all the time.
“It’s been fun, it’s been a great trip and when I got myself to three up through four my caddie, my friend Matt, who’s been awesome on the bag for me this week, agreed that we should continue to keep the pedal to the metal.
“At four up through seven I got myself into a bunker on the short par three, I got it out pretty well and made a big 15-footer, that was huge momentum swinger and I just carried on from there.”
The nephew of multi-major winner Ernie Els, added: “I’m very excited about tomorrow’s final, I’m not thinking too much about all the stuff which goes with it, tomorrow it’s all about me, my opponent and the golf course.
“I spoke to my uncle last night, he told me to give it my all today, he told me to focus on my game and wished me good luck.”
In the other all-Irish semi-final, Robin Dawson defeated Conor Purcell 3 and 2.
Like Rebula, Dawson got off to a flying start, two up after three, and never really allowed his opponent back into the match.
Dawson, who won the Irish Amateur stroke-play championship at Royal County Down a fortnight ago, said: “After that start I felt very much in control, of course Conor was going to win holes coming in on the back nine, he’s a great player so I’m happy to come out on-top. It’s going to be another long day tomorrow, another two rounds of golf, I don’t quite know what to expect, but I’m kind of relieved that we’ve finished today, and we’ll see how we get on tomorrow.
Rebula set up his semi-final by defeating another Englishman, Tom Sloman, 2 and 1, in the morning’s quarter-final
In the other quarter-final ties Waite beat Sweden’s Christoffer Palsson 3 and 2, Irishman Purcell sprung a surprise to oust World ranked 19, Australian David Micheluzzi, again 3 and 2, and in the all Irish battle, finalist Dawson edged out his fellow countryman, John Murphy, 2 and 1.