JOHANNESBURG – They call him “Cobra” and it looks like he’s ready to start striking again. James Kamte signed for a 4-under-par 68 in the second round of the South African Open at Glendower on Friday to put him on 6-under 138 at the halfway mark.
That means the big hitter is six off the pace, but the 34-year-old Kamte has won here before – in the 2011 BMG Classic over 54 holes, signing off with a blistering 64 and then beating Dawie van der Walt in a playoff.
“Being six off the lead means I’ve got a lot of chasing to do, but I’m playing well and making a lot of birdies, but also a few too many bogeys for my liking. If I can keep the drop shots of my card this weekend, I can maybe shoot a low number and then we’ll see what happens.”
A former talented footballer who earned the name “Cobra” through his ability as a striker, Kamte ultimately turned to golf, turning professional in 2003.
He won the Dimension Data Pro-Am in 2008, becoming the first black golfer from South Africa to win an event on the summer section of the Sunshine Tour.
He also became the first black golfer from this country to earn his playing privileges on the European Tour since Vincent Tshabalala way back in 1976.
He went east to seek his fortune and won the Asian Tour International, and seemed to be set up for a stellar career.
But a series of injuries led to knee, wrist and eye operations and, coupled with a few wrong turns in life, his golf suffered. Now he might be back.
He qualified for the SA Open by shooting a 68 at Kempton Park, and was only one of five players in a field of 140 to make it into the main event, which was a confidence-booster ahead of Glendower.
Now it looks like Cobra is starting to strike again, and it could be a big weekend for him.