Jovan Rebula

Jovan Rebula (born 22 July 1997) is a South African professional golfer. In 2018, he became the second South African golfer in history to win The Amateur Championship. This win gave him exemptions to the 2018 Open Championship, 2019 Masters Tournament and 2019 U.S. Open. In team events, Rebula was the captain of the South African team that competed at the 2016 Eisenhower Trophy. At the following edition, Rebula played in the first round of the 2018 Eisenhower Trophy as captain before leaving the event due to a back injury.

Jovan Rebula
Personal information
Born (1997-07-22) 22 July 1997
Western Cape, South Africa
Sporting nationality South Africa
Career
CollegeAuburn University
Turned professional2021
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentCUT: 2019
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenCUT: 2019
The Open ChampionshipCUT: 2018

Early life and education

On 22 July 1997, Rebula was born in Western Cape, South Africa.[1] During his childhood, Rebula started playing golf at the age of eight while also competing in cricket and rugby. While attending Auburn University for his post-secondary college, Rebula joined the Auburn Tigers men's golf team in 2016.[2] With Auburn at individual events, Rebula finished in the top-10 at seven golf tournaments in the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons.[3] He additionally reached the top-10 at five tournaments each during the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons.[4]

In 2020, Rebula opted to remain for an extra year at Auburn instead of becoming a professional golfer. Rebula made his choice while he had stopped playing golf for a month during the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] Rebula remained at Auburn until May 2021.[6] During this season, Rebula had a tenth place tie at the 2020 Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate.[7]

Rebula was part of the Auburn golf team that won the SEC championship in 2018.[8] During the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship, Rebula was tied for 23rd individually while finishing 11th in the team event with Auburn.[9]

Career

Amateur career

As an amateur golfer, Rebula has won multiple events in South Africa throughout the 2010s.[10] As part of the South Africa Golf Association, his wins include the 2012 South African U15 Championship and the 2013 South African Boys U17 Stroke Play.[11][12] In following years, Rebula won the Proudfoot Trophy in 2014 and was second at the 2015 South African Amateur.[13][14] In 2018, Rebula became the second South African golfer in history to win The Amateur Championship.[15]

At American events, Rebula beat U.S. Amateur champion Viktor Hovland to win the 2019 Georgia Cup.[16] For his U.S. Amateur appearances, Rebula missed the cut in 2019 and 2020.[17][18] During these years, Rebula also missed the cut during the Western Amateur in 2020.[19] In team events, Rebula was the captain of the South African team that played at the 2016 Eisenhower Trophy.[20] He returned as captain for South Africa at the 2018 Eisenhower Trophy but left the event after the first round due to a back injury.[21][22]

Professional events

Rebula played on the European Tour at the 2017 BMW SA Open.[23] His best performance at the European Tour was at the 2018 South African Open where he tied for 24th place.[24] Rebula's win at the Amateur Championship gave him an exemption for the 2018 Open Championship, 2019 Masters Tournament and 2019 U.S Open.[25] At these major championships, Rebula missed the cut in all three events.[26][27]

Rebula qualified to become a Forme Tour player in June 2021 and turned professional.[28] During the Forme Tour, Rebula was tied for 63rd at the 2021 Auburn University Club Invitational.[29][30] On the Sunshine Tour, Reubla was 10th at the 2021 South African Open and missed the cut at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final in 2022.[31]

Personal life

Rebula is the nephew of golfer Ernie Els.[32] On his father's side he is of Serbian background.[33][10]

Amateur wins
  • 2012 South African Under 15 Stroke Play
  • 2013 North & South SA Junior, South African U17 Stroke Play
  • 2014 Nomads National Order of Merit - Coastal 1, Curro South African Juniors International, All Africa Junior Team Championship (individual)
  • 2016 Eastern Province Border Championship, Western Province Strokeplay & Amateur
  • 2018 The Amateur Championship
  • 2019 SEC Championship, Kiawah Classic at Turtle Point

Source:[10]

Results in major championships

Results not in chronological order before 2019.

Tournament 20182019
Masters Tournament CUT
PGA Championship
U.S. Open CUT
The Open Championship CUT
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut

Team appearances

Source:[10]

References
  1. "Jovan Rebula Scores & Highlights". augusta.com. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  2. Leonard, Tod (15 June 2013). "Els family on nostalgic trip to Junior World". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  3. "Auburn Men's Golf 2018-2019 Media Guide" (PDF). Auburn Tigers Athletics. 28 September 2018. p. 23. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  4. "Jovan Rebula". Auburn Tigers Athletics. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  5. Richards, Chris (29 June 2020). "Rebula returns to Auburn for fifth year". PGA Tour. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  6. "GolfRSA's Rebula heads to US Forme Tour". South African Golf Association. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  7. "Auburn captures Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate title". Auburn Tigers. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  8. Stevens, Matthew (30 April 2018). "Auburn golf wins SEC title over Alabama on Padgett's walk-off win in anchor match". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  9. "NCAA DI Championship - Stroke". Golfstat. 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  10. "Jovan Rebula". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  11. "SA U15 Championship". South African Golf Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  12. "Tournaments & Results". South African Golf Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  13. "Proudfood Trophy". South African Golf Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  14. "SA Amateur". South African Golf Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  15. Shefter, David. "Rebula Exempt into 2019 U.S. Open After Winning The Amateur". United States Golf Association. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  16. "The Georgia Cup". The Golf Club of Georgia. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  17. "2019 U.S. Amateur Championship". United States Golf Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  18. "2020 U.S. Amateur Championship". United States Golf Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  19. "2020 Western Amateur". Western Golf Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  20. "Frustrated SA trio end 31st in Eisenhower Trophy". Team SA. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  21. "Jovan Rebula named in Eisenhower Trophy team". The Gremlin. 28 June 2018.
  22. "Mitchell replaces Rebula in Eisenhower Team for SA". Golf RSA. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  23. Romine, Brentley (13 November 2017). "Ernie Els' nephew Jovan Rebula makes a name for himself at Auburn". Golf Week. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  24. "Jovan Rebula (Am)". Official World Golf Ranking. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  25. Stevens, Matthew (24 June 2018). "Auburn's Jovan Rebula wins 123rd British Amateur Championship; qualifies for 2018 Open Championship, 2019 Masters and 2019 U.S. Open". USA Today. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  26. "Jovan Rebula". PGA Tour. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  27. "U.S. Open June 13 - 16, 2019". ESPN. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  28. Murphy, Mark (1 June 2021). "Auburn's Rebula earns a spot on new pro golf tour". 247 Sports. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  29. Wright, Sara (3 July 2021). "Knowles Wins Auburn University Club Invitational". PGA Tour. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  30. "Auburn University Club Invitational". PGA Tour. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  31. "Jovan Rebula". Sunshine Tour. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  32. Tait, Alistair (7 December 2018). "Ernie Els, nephew Jovan Rebula paired together at South African Open". Golf Week. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  33. Bamberger, Michael (19 July 2018). "All in the family: Ernie Els enjoyed his nephew's first-career round at British Open". Golf.com. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
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