Christopher Gutuza
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About Athlete
My objective is to be successful in my academic and sporting talent. I have the necessary work ethic and motivation to work hard in both and will do everything that I can possibly can to make a positive impact on the college team I will represent.
SAT Total Score
Championships
Current handicap: +1.8
Tournament 'handicap' (from WP order of merit stroke diff.): -0.18
Average score: 71.95
Rankings
- 21st in open Western Province
- 157th amateur in South Africa
- 38th in Juniors (u19) in South Africa
- 6th in Western Province Junior ranking
Golf Competition Record
2021
South African stroke play qualifier - 72 - 2nd
South African stroke play championship - 77 76 74 79 - T64
South African amateur championship qualification - 76 78 - T89
King David Mowbray club championship (stroke play) - 75 75 79 75 - 7th
Junior interclub championship - 70 - 1st
Robertson interprovincial triangular (match play event) : won 7.5/10 (tied first in wp u19)
Friends of Engelberg Championship hosted by Anna - 75 74 - T7
Mini masters - 71 68 - 1st
Premier amateur tour Westlake open - 77 74 - T20
WP Junior Championship - 73 73 - T7
Prentice memorial junior trophy - 73 - T3
Erinvale Junior Championship - 80 - T12
Premier amateur tour - Bellville open - 77 - T30
Durbanville Junior Championship - 71 - T2
2020
3 Jan Bridgefund Robertson 76
6- 7 Jan NOoM Coastal #1, Mount Edgecomb KZN | Score: 79 74 72 – 33rd
9-10 Jan NOoM Inland #1 ,Benoni Gauteng | Score: 76 72 78 – T20th
27 Jan SA Amateur Champs Quali | Score: 74 = Qualified - 9 players 5 spots
10-13 Feb SA Stroke Play Championships, Randpark Gauteng | Score: 72 81 Missed cut
16 – 21 Feb SA Amateur Champs, Royal Johannesburg and Kensington | Score: 71 72 Made cut – T33rd
16 August Atlantic beach Junior | Score: 76 | Finished 11th
16 August - Atlantic beach junior open | Score: 76 | T11
13 September- strand Bridgefund | Score: 78 | T8
24 September - Robertson Bridgefund | Score: 73 | T2
27 September - Rondebsoch open | Score: 78 | T47
11 october - Westlake open | Score: 76 | T12
25 October - Clovelly open | Score: 78 | T43
27 October - Bellville Bridgefund |Score: 75 | T4
15 November - King David Mowbray open | Score: 77 | T28
8 November - Atlantic Beach open | Score: 78 | T26
ERPM inland national order of merit | Score: 71/74 | Finish T6
Royal Johannesburg and Kensington bridefund | Score: 73 | Finish T8
2019
6- 7 April EP BORDER Provincial Tournament 80 77 79
14 April Rondebosch Club Open 76 78
19 April Fancourt Links 82 75
4 May Langebaan Club Open 78 74
5 May Somerset West Club Open 79 79
19 May Paarl Junior Open 76
26 May De Zalze Club Open 73 76
2 June Bellville Club Open 74 77
9 June Kuilsriver Club Open 78 72
14 June Somerset West Junior Open 72 - 7th
16 June Erinvale Junior Open 73 - 5th
17 June WP Junior Championships 73 75 came 4th
28 June Kdm Prentice 76
1-4 July SA Boys U17 at St Francis Links 75 81 76, tied 24th, field of 110 tied 24th, field of 110
7 July Mowbray Prentice Champs 76
14 July Steenberg Club Open 83 82
21 July Parow club open 82 72
28 July WP Mini Masters KDM 75 69, 5th place, field of 39 5th place field of 38
4 Aug Premier League Round 1 won individual and foursomes
10 – 11 Aug Southern Cape Inter-provincial
18 Aug Clovelly club open 73 74 finished joint 4th
25 Aug Royal Durban Golf Club practice round 73
26 Aug Junior Africa Challenge 84 80 80, 3rd in age group Finished 3rd in age group
8 Sept Durban Bridge Fund 75 3rd on count out
22 Sept Boschenmeer Bridgefund 80
26 Sept Milnerton Bridge Fund 73
27 Sept Clovelley Bridge Fund 79
29 Sept Cape Town Junior Open at Clovelley 76 77
13 Oct Royal Cape Bridgefund 76
20 Oct Premier League Rd 2 won individual match
26 Oct ERPM Bridgefund Gauteng 67, second place by 1 shot second place by 1 shot
27 Oct Waterkloof Bridgefund 81 tough greens, lessons learned
3 Nov Premier League Rd 4
10 Nov Premier League Rd 5
17 Nov Mowbray Club Open 72 89
18-20 Dec Kids Golf World Championship Malaysia (Tanjong Puteri Plantation Course) 78 75 77, 5th place
Boys 15-18 5th place
27-30 Dec CJGA World Golf Challenge Innisbrook USA 78 79 73 (par 71) 10th place boys 15-18
2018
02 Oct Rondebosch Bridge Fund 75 net 72 6th pace
04 Oct Somerset West Junior Open 75 net 74 4th place
05 Oct King David Bridge Fund 72 net 70 5th place
02 Sep Bellville Under 15 84 net 79 4th place
26 Aug Clovelley junior winter series 87 net 82 15th place
05 Aug Steenberg junior open 80 net 75 7th place
29 Jul Western Province Junior Minimasters 74 net 69 and 77 net 72 12th overall, 2nd in age group
22 Jul Clovelley junior winter series 94 net 89 8h place
09 Jul WP junior champs 81 net 76 and 83 net 78 22nd place
13 Jul Royal Cape Bridge Fund 76 net 1 8th place
15 Jul Erinvale junior open 80 net 75 15th place
16 Jul Westlake junior open 79 net 74 11th place
10 Jun Clovelley junior winter series 84 net 79 8th place
25 May represented WP under 15
March Katberg interprovincial - representing WP 41-40-38-43-42 13th overall
05 Jan Durbanville Bridge Fund 95 net 86 13th in b division
2017
13 Aug Atlantic Beach junior open represented WP under 14 92 net 80 5th position b division
07 Jul Parow junior open 84 net 73 second position b division
03 Jul Royal Cape Bridge Fund 84 net 73 winner b division
25 Jun Parow under 15 champs 84 net 73 5th place
02 Jul Erinvale junior open 85 net 74 2nd in b division
04 Jul Milnerton junior open 83 net 72 5th in b division
10 Apr Bellville junior open 91 net 80 4th in b division
11 Apr Kuilsriver junior open 89 net 78 10h in b division
05 Jan Somerset West junior open 86 net 73 6th in b division
06 Jan Durbanville junior open 94 net 81 10th in b division
Club distances in yards
60 wedge- 90 y
56 wedge- 100 y
52 wedge- 110 y
Pw- 125y
9i- 135y
8i- 150y
7i- 160y
6i- 170y
5i- 180y
4i- 190y
2i- 235y
3 wood- 245y
Driver- 270y
Additional sporting info
Currently a member of the High School golf 1st team; been a member since 2018.
2019 to current: member of the under 19 Western Province provincial golf team
Been a member of the South African Western Province golf team since the age of 11, and participated in the following South African inter provincial tournaments:
Under 13 and under 15 Fish River and Katberg interprovincial tournament
Under 14 Worcester and Bellville interprovincial tournaments
Under 15 and under 17 Robertson interprovincial tournaments
Middle distance athlete (800- 3000m)
Personal Best
Awards, press
In 2018, I was a member of my High School golf 1st team, which won the Western Province High School Golf League.
I was a member of my home club premier league team which won the 2019 Premier League.
In 2019 I was awarded half colors for golf at my High School.
2020 School Sports Live Golf Event - Knockout event on one hole. It consisted of the top 8 WP golfers. Won event - (winning and tournament highlight videos above)
What makes you different?
One of my great strengths which sets me apart is my tenacity and self belief when I am on the golf course. I have the ability to use my natural talent, intuition and steely determination when needed and I know when to use it. I am therefore particularly good at match play, which requires self knowledge, self belief and intuition. I have the ability to find angles and hit shots that are not expected. I also been told that I have a focus on the golf course, that is way ahead of my age. As a result, I have, from the age of 15, been a member of the adult league representing my club.
I am very goal orientated and will go to great lengths to improve my golf game and to be successful. For example, when I was not happy with my putting stroke, I wanted to stay and practice that putting stroke, the whole night. I was persuaded to leave the golf course quite late in the night by my mom who pointed out that there had been robberies, sometimes using weapons, at the golf course during the day and an all night stay was too dangerous.
My dedication to improving my game is what sets me apart from other golfers at my club, in particular my practice times and routine. During the school terms I usually practice at the golf club until 8 o’clock at night, by which time the clubhouse has closed and the security guards have left. During weekends and school holidays, I start practicing at the golf club from 6 o’clock in the morning so that I can play 54 holes in a single day. My friends get annoyed at the time I spend practicing and that I barely spend time with them.
My work ethic is noticed by other golfers, and in addition by others at my home golf course. I am accordingly admired by the caddies, the staff at the pro shop and even the staff at the restaurant and halfway house. I have become a role model for the younger players as well. Even though I have a strong work ethic and practice long hours, I also make sure that I am courteous to and sociable with the players, caddies and other staff at the golf course. I sometimes play putting matches with the younger golfers and enjoy the interaction and the ability to motivate them.
I have always been much younger that the age division I play in, for example, currently I played in the under 19 team from the age of sixteen and also represent my club at the premier league level. I have managed to do this, despite the fact that I often have lesser resources than many of peers, and attribute my success to the combination of my natural talent, intuition, self-belief and work ethic – a combination which sets me apart from others.
Why do you want to compete in college?
I want to play college golf in order to continue improving my golfing ability and achieve academic excellence. I love competitive golf. Being able to compete on the golf course and walk away with a win is my favorite feeling. Especially when I go out and beat someone better than me. I am working very hard on my academic performance. I also recognize that achieving top honours in college golf will open up opportunities in the USPGA. This will allow my pursue my dream of becoming the best golfer in the world by competing and winning on the PGA tour.
What can you bring to the college?
I don’t get distracted easily on the golf course. I learned this skill when I was still young, at around 10 years old, when my competitors in provincial tournaments were distracting. This skill allows me to focus and enables me to achieve the goals I set, in particular while on the golf course. I also don’t give up easily, and I try to teach this to younger players. However, the main thing I will bring is providing guidance to others on the golf course, I like assisting my teammates to improve their game and I even willing to assist opponents off the course. My honesty in providing feedback on their game and being willing to assist to improve their game, means that I am a role model for others.
College Goals?
In both sporting and academics I want to be the best that I can be. I am very competitive on the golf course and I don’t like to be second best. I am hoping that college golf will open up opportunities in the USPGA.
I have not paid as much attention to my academics in the past but have realized that being average is not good enough. I have been working to achieve marks which will put me in the top of my class. I have been successful to a degree in that I am currently ranked 5th in my grade for biology. I would like to do a degree in Biology as I am interested in the way that the human body works.
Anything else we should know?
I hit my first golf ball at the age of 1 years old. I began focusing on golf at 8 years old. I have always played at King David Mowbray. My dad got me into the sport and has supported me since beginning. I began as a respected player in the u13 interprovincial team and I am now a respected player on the national stage. My biggest goal in life is to win all four majors. It may still be a long wait but I am willing to hit more balls on the range than anyone else, go to the gym more often the anyone else and, most importantly, I want to do it properly.
In 2019 I had the best matchplay win rate in the first team (85%)