adminCrocker had largely remained an enigma, the offshore star that the game’s fans didn’t know very well.
After yesterday’s composed performance, in the company of men, some of them more than twice his age, 16-year-old Crocker finally introduced himself to his home fans.
And what a story it was.
His father Gary, one of the elite group of cricketers who played for Zimbabwe in the country’s maiden Test match against India at Harare Sports Club in 1992, was on his side as the caddie.
Gary might have been concentrating on his son’s game, and the duties that come with carrying the bag, but he must also have been keeping an ear to the events across the road at Harare Sports Club where Zimbabwe were playing their first Test against Bangladesh.
When Gary played his only Test for Zimbabwe, before his decision to relocate and live in California in the United States at the turn of the millennium, his son Sean had not even been born.
Five years would pass, from that historic Test against India, before Sean came to this world and yesterday the 16-year-old, playing on home soil, showed us why there is so much buzz about him around the world as one of the next big things in golf.
Sean, who has chosen to represent Zimbabwe in international tournaments, said his dream was to make the cut in this year’s Open and the rest would be a bonus.
And, if he plays as well as he did yesterday, there is no reason why he can’t make the cut or, better still, battle for the Open title, even though he is an amateur. He shot an impressive three-under-par in the first round.
Sean could have done much better had he not dropped a shot on the third hole.
“I started well and had a birdie on hole-number two, had a bogey but I managed to recover well after that hole with some two consecutive pars and I am glad for that,” Sean said.
“A birdie on hole-number five brought me back into the game.
“I just had a good second nine and that helped me a lot and I look forward to another good outing tomorrow (today),” Crocker said.
Can Sean maintain the momentum and keep his cool, especially with all the attention that is likely to be zoomed around him?
“I just want to keep the momentum tomorrow and make sure that I do my best,” said Sean.
“I believe playing here at home is a great motivation for me and Sunshine Tour is the best stepping stone for any player as it is full of competitive players. “With my father on my side, it was good motivation for me. I hope I will do well tomorrow as well.”
Ryan Cairns, who has been doing well on the local Zambezi Tour, managed to put his name among those under par after a one under-par 71 going into today’s’ round.
Cairns has been doing well to the extent of dominating the home circuit, winning the first two events of the local tour and having won one of the Sunshine Tour events.
He carries the hopes of many to produce a home champion but he will need to play far better than he did yesterday. Trynos Muradzikwa, playing on his home course, managed a level-par 72 to keep his hopes of making it into the weekend alive.
Amateur Clive Nguru was among the professionals, Ignatius Mketekete and Tich Musemburi, on one-over-par 73, going into the second round.
Round 1
1= Darren Fichardt (RSA) 66
1= Aron Zemmer (ITA) 66
1= Darryn Lloyd (RSA) 66
4= Jared Harvey (RSA) 68
4= Divan van den Heever (RSA) 68
4= Charl Coetzee (RSA) 68
4= Titch Moore (RSA) 68
4= Mark Murless (RSA) 68
9= Theunis Spangenberg (RSA) 69
9= Chris Swanepoel (RSA) 69
9= Jake Roos (RSA) 69
9= Desvonde Botes (RSA) 69
9= Sean Crocker (AMA) (ZIM) 69
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