Vartan Kupelian
Vartan Kupelian is an award-winning golf writer for The Detroit News, and a columnist for http://GolfBrief.com. Kupelian is the author of "Stalking the Tiger: A Writer's Diary."
Kamte gives “global” a true meaning
http://www.golfbrief.com/articles/652/1/Kamte-gives-aglobala-a-true-meaning/Page1.html
By Vartan Kupelian
Published on 03/2/2008
http://www.golfbrief.com/articles/652/1/Kamte-gives-aglobala-a-true-meaning/Page1.html
Kamte gives “global” a true meaning
Let me introduce you to James Kamte.
In an age where the term "global" is often attached to golf, Kamte is a personification of the concept.
Kamte is doing something that hasn't been done in more than three decades. He is the first black South African to earn full playing privileges on the European Tour since Vincent Tshabalala in 1976-77.
Kamte, 26, is a native of Humansdorf, South Africa. He's bantam-sized, like Ben Hogan, and he's got game, as demonstrated this week at the Johnnie Walker Classic in New Delhi, India.
On the final hole of the first round, Kamte lasered a 220-yard 5-iron to within five feet of the cup. He knocked it in for an eagle and a solid opening round 4-under-par 68 that, for a time, made him the leader in the clubhouse. Heading into Sunday’s final round, he at 8-under, six strokes back.
Kamte completed 2007 by winning his card at the European Tour Qualifying School. He has a story worth telling.
Kamte's nickname is "Cobra." It has nothing to do with his golf. It's a product of his days as an aspiring soccer player.
"I was a striker and pretty good at playing soccer so thought I was going to be more of footballer than a golfer," Kamte told reporters in New Delhi. "The guys used to call me Cobra because I was so quick and used to strike quite a lot. It came from there. I thought I would lose (the nickname) when I moved over to golf but I'll take it."
Kamte began caddying in 1997 and if that date rings a bell, it should. It was Tiger Woods' first full year on the PGA Tour and the year he won the Masters for the first time. Kamte was a 15-year-old caddie at St. Francis Bay Golf Club at the time.
It was at St. Francis that a friend of Kamte's was a member. In time, he would convince Kamte to join him.
"I played like four times a year which was not really playing golf," Kamte said.
That changed in 2001. Kamte decided it was golf, not soccer, that he should pursue more seriously.
"I started practicing after that," he said.
The impetus came from Nedbank and the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation, which provided Kamte an opportunity to play more regularly in amateur events.
The Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation was established in 1999 for the purpose of identifying and helping underprivileged youngsters who display golf talent and potential. The foundation provides educational assistance in addition to financial support.
What Kamte discovered in those early experiences with golf was the significance of the game's mental component. He found it intriguing.
"It was more about mental and just only me and the golf course," he said. "It wasn't more about the team game. I sort of like individual games. That's one of the reasons that inspired me to play because it was more about the individual game, and I'm quite a very positive person and I like competition."
Kamte said the decision to choose golf over soccer was initially tough "but in the end was easy as I had more (support) on the golf side than the soccer side.
"Regrets? Not now," Kamte said. "I am delighted I chose to play golf."
In an age where the term "global" is often attached to golf, Kamte is a personification of the concept.
Kamte is doing something that hasn't been done in more than three decades. He is the first black South African to earn full playing privileges on the European Tour since Vincent Tshabalala in 1976-77.
Kamte, 26, is a native of Humansdorf, South Africa. He's bantam-sized, like Ben Hogan, and he's got game, as demonstrated this week at the Johnnie Walker Classic in New Delhi, India.
On the final hole of the first round, Kamte lasered a 220-yard 5-iron to within five feet of the cup. He knocked it in for an eagle and a solid opening round 4-under-par 68 that, for a time, made him the leader in the clubhouse. Heading into Sunday’s final round, he at 8-under, six strokes back.
Kamte completed 2007 by winning his card at the European Tour Qualifying School. He has a story worth telling.
Kamte's nickname is "Cobra." It has nothing to do with his golf. It's a product of his days as an aspiring soccer player.
"I was a striker and pretty good at playing soccer so thought I was going to be more of footballer than a golfer," Kamte told reporters in New Delhi. "The guys used to call me Cobra because I was so quick and used to strike quite a lot. It came from there. I thought I would lose (the nickname) when I moved over to golf but I'll take it."
Kamte began caddying in 1997 and if that date rings a bell, it should. It was Tiger Woods' first full year on the PGA Tour and the year he won the Masters for the first time. Kamte was a 15-year-old caddie at St. Francis Bay Golf Club at the time.
It was at St. Francis that a friend of Kamte's was a member. In time, he would convince Kamte to join him.
"I played like four times a year which was not really playing golf," Kamte said.
That changed in 2001. Kamte decided it was golf, not soccer, that he should pursue more seriously.
"I started practicing after that," he said.
The impetus came from Nedbank and the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation, which provided Kamte an opportunity to play more regularly in amateur events.
The Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation was established in 1999 for the purpose of identifying and helping underprivileged youngsters who display golf talent and potential. The foundation provides educational assistance in addition to financial support.
What Kamte discovered in those early experiences with golf was the significance of the game's mental component. He found it intriguing.
"It was more about mental and just only me and the golf course," he said. "It wasn't more about the team game. I sort of like individual games. That's one of the reasons that inspired me to play because it was more about the individual game, and I'm quite a very positive person and I like competition."
Kamte said the decision to choose golf over soccer was initially tough "but in the end was easy as I had more (support) on the golf side than the soccer side.
"Regrets? Not now," Kamte said. "I am delighted I chose to play golf."