Johannesburg, South Africa – Zethu Myeki hails from Mdantsane, the East London township known as the Mecca of boxing in South Africa for having produced more professional pugilists than any other location in the country.
While in Grade VII in 2009, she used to walk past a soccer field where a group of girls were busy with golf practice. She was interested but too shy to approach the girls to let her in. Her saving grace was a fellow student from her school who ultimately invited her into the fold.
Today Myeki is a professional golfer. This week she was playing at the two-day Standard bank Pro-Am Series tournament at the Houghton Golf Club on Wednesday and Thursday, one of just under five black female golfers. The ladies were playing for an R600 000 purse in a field comprising 39 professionals, among them a few visiting internationals. Myeki came sixth.
She recalls taking three taxis to golf practice once she got the feel of the game. Looking back, she says it was “how much I wanted it”. Once the bug bit, there was no stopping her. She had a knack for the game as she flew through the rankings. In no time, the girl from Mdantsane, who is turning 29 next month, was playing for the province.
“It all started at the soccer pitch,” she smiles shyly. She replays the picture in her head of passing by the soccer field on the way from school. “Yes, I used to see girls practicing, but I was too scared to go ask. One of the girls was in my school, so I asked her.”
In 2010 she joined a golf development foundation and quickly her talents saw her move to Johannesburg in 2015. “It was when I was here that I got the opportunity to be part of the South African squad.”
Playing for her country also granted the young golfer the chance to see the world, traveling to places such as Tunisia, Ghana, eSwatini, India twice, and then Houston, Texas. She says whenever they played on the continent, the SA team “always wins”.
“Yesterday I shot two-under,” she says of her game this week in the Standard bank Pro-Am Series, “Today I finished birdie, birdie, birdie. My puts were dropping.”
Her language is a golfer’s. “I’m happy with my performance,” she said before the winner was announced. She is a far cry now from the novice who used to spend time hitting and fetching golf balls on a soccer pitch, in a township where the sport of choice is boxing.
“Golf is not an easy sport but if you put your mind to something, it will work out. I wanted it. You have to work hard. You have to put in the commitment,” says Myeki, who plays out of Randpark Golf Club and is sponsored by Investec.
Yolanda Duma, 32, is also from East London and plays her golf out of Bryanston Country Club, where she also works. Duma turned pro in 2017. READ MORE AT IOL.CO.ZA
