SportPREMIUM

BLAST FROM THE PAST | The Big Easy swings to second US Open title

Today in South African sport history: June 15

South Africa's Ernie Els wins his second US Open in 1997 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.
Ernie Els wins his second US Open in 1997 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

1991 — Welcome Ncita outpoints Hurley Snead of the US over 12 rounds in San Antonio, Texas, to retain his IBF junior-featherweight title for the fourth time.

1996 — Shaun Bartlett scores twice as Bafana Bafana beat Malawi 3-0 in the second leg of their World Cup qualification match in Johannesburg. Mark Fish netted the third to ensure South Africa advanced to the second round of qualification, the group stage where they would go up against Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Congo-Brazzaville.

1996 — Sakhumzi Magxwalisa becomes the first South African boxer to win a world title in Thailand, stopping Chaosingthong Chalermsri in the second round to lift the marginal WBU junior-bantamweight belt in Bangkok. Magxwalisa, 20, went into the bout with a record of nine wins and one defeat, which he had suffered in his previous outing. But his reign was short-lived, losing the belt outside the ring after he was found unconscious and needing medical attention in the lead-up to his first defence, also in Thailand. He was said to have been drained from weight loss. He moved up to junior-lightweight for his next bout nine months later, nearly 7kg heavier.

1997 — Finally, a South African golfer doesn’t need a play-off to win the US Open. Gary Player had required it in 1965, and Ernie Els in 1994. But this time Els took it in regulation, firing a four-under-par 276 at Congressional Country Club in Maryland to edge Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie out by one shot. But it wasn’t easy. In tough scoring conditions Els parred the final five holes while Montgomerie bogeyed the par-four 17th. American Tom Lehman, the overnight leader by two shots, dropped two shots on the 16th and 17th holes.

2002 — Replacement scrumhalf Craig Davidson and fullback Brent Russell score tries as the Springboks beat Wales 19-8 in the second Test at Newlands to win the series 2-0.

2008 — Centre Jean de Villiers scores two of South Africa’s four tries as the Springboks beat Wales 37-21 in Pretoria to win the two-match series 2-0.

2009 — Cri-Zelda Brits scores an unbeaten 57 off 51 balls to lift the South African women to 124/4, but they lose their T20 World Cup match against New Zealand in Taunton by six wickets.

2013 — Underdog Hekkie Budler wasn’t given a chance against Nkosinathi Joyi, but he boxes superbly to edge out the veteran by split decision and win the marginal IBO title at Emperors Palace. Budler would add the WBA crown to his collection the following year.

2013 — Trailing 6-17 early in the second half, the Springboks fight back to beat Scotland 30-17 in Nelspruit. Centre JJ Engelbrecht and his replacement, Jan Serfontein, scored tries for South Africa, who were also awarded a penalty try, all of them in the second half. The Test was part of a quadrangular tournament also featuring Italy and Samoa. Making his debut for the Boks that day was future captain Siya Kolisi.

2016 — Hashim Amla scores 110 off 99 balls and then Imran Tahir takes seven wickets as the Proteas trounce the West Indies by 139 runs in a triangular ODI in Basseterre. South Africa scored 343/3 in their 50 overs and then bowled out their opponents for 204. Australia was the third team in the tournament.

2018 — Captain Dane van Niekerk scores 95 and Laura Wolvaardt 64 as the South African women are bowled out for 228 on their way to losing the third and final ODI against England in Canterbury by seven wickets, and with it the series 1-2.

2019 — Bafana Bafana play to a 0-0 draw against Ghana in a pre-Africa Cup of Nations match in Dubai. Coach Stuart Baxter fielded two different starting line-ups in each half.

2019 — The Proteas register their first victory of the World Cup, in their fifth outing, as they beat minnows Afghanistan by nine wickets. Imran Tahir took four wickets and Chris Morris three to help bowl out their opponents for 125. South Africa reached the target in 29 overs, with Quinton de Kock scoring 68.

2025 — Bafana Bafana are beaten 0-3 by Angola in the Cosafa Cup final at the Free State stadium in Bloemfontein.

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