Teen golf sensation Mitch is making waves

AT JUST 16 years old, Mitch Phigeland from Belhar is ranked number 14 in the Western Province Golf under 19 and number 20 for the South Africa under 17.

Earlier this month, Mitch came out tops and won the local 2022 junior championship tour, the Rondebosch Open Championship.

Mitch has played against the likes of Western Cape senior player, Greg Woodbridge, and next week he will participate in the SA U17 tournament in Bloemfontein.

Mitch, who attends De Kuilen High School in Kuils River, aspires to become a professional golf player one day.

And he is fighting hard to achieve this goal.

He practises five times a week and is part of the Atlantic Beach Links club.

Mitch’s father, Mark Phigeland, who is also an avid golfer, said it all started when he was just 8 and used to whisk off with him to the golf course at the River Club in Observatory.

“We saw a group of young boys playing golf there and we inquired about it and it was the South African Golf Development Board who trains underprivileged children.”

Mitch was invited to train and when he was 12-years-old he began competing and earned a place in the Western Province team.

He is now in the U19s and South

Africa U17s.

“I want to practise hard because I want to become a professional player one day,” he said.

“I admire Justin Thomas from the USA.”

Mitch has won other tournaments in the past and is very disciplined, according to his father.

“It is a disciplined sport and a very lonely sport and you need to remain focused,” said Phigeland senior.

“Two weeks ago, as a member of the Atlantic Beach Links Club, they have a Champions League for adults and juniors and if you are good enough, you play with the adults and Mitch won his match.

“He also got to play against senior Greg Woodbridge at one stage, who is a Western Province senior player.

“He was also invited in 2021 and 2022 for the Nedbank Challenge held in Sun City.”

Phigeland expressed gratitude to the South African Golf Development Board and club captain Nigel Pillay.

In a statement after the young player’s win at the Rondebosch Championships, Western Province Golf said: “Mitch has a reputation for steady golf and this he proved again with three birdies and two bogeys over the 18 holes.

To say that the players encountered a perfect day for golf is an understatement – Rondebosch Golf Club was in superb condition with hardly a breath of wind on the day.”