Coming from the BAVARIAN OPEN at Muenchener GC, Keanu could not have been more motivated to produce a sensational performance.
Being familiar with the course of Muenchener GC (he had represented the club in 2010), the Reichswald gunner's expectation was high for the 2011 BAVARIAN OPEN. Keanu set out to attack from the first hole and stepped onto the tee-mount of MGC's hole #9 with a 3-under par score on day 1, and subsequently 2-under par on day 2, only for pouring rain to get the better of him.
The result, a 76 and 74 for a still respectable overall 8th place. But Keanu was not satisfied.
A sunny and dry afternoon at the Landshut Open on August 10, then became witness to an awesome display of golf craftsmanship from the 15-year old.
Playing in the same flight with his fellow Reichswald team-mates Timothy Rauth (+5) and Matthias Wuerzinger (+1) as well as GC Eschenried's Nicholas Meerkamp, Keanu exploded from hole 1 onwards, firing 9 birdies from the white championship tee-mounts on #1, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16 and 17, while recording only 2 bogeys on 7 and 13. The Reichswald youngster subsequently tallied his scorecard with a 7-under par 66 to win the tournament.
Keanu's score was also only 1 stroke shy of the course record of 65, which Eichenried's Armin Makki set on August 19, 2009. (Picture at the 18th green-side shows Matthias Wuerzinger jokingly knocking Keanu over the head, while Timothy Rauth and Nicholas Meerkamp look on).
Congratulations and some celebration were in order, but surprisingly Keanu quietly reflected with his Mom Nerissa in the evening, saying: "You know Mom, I made some mistakes with the 2 bogeys on 7 and 13 and could have scored better."
But his parents advised Keanu to enjoy the moment and focus on his success. Said Keanu's Dad Johannes: "You know, Keanu has been pushing 2 to 3 under par at the front-nine in quite a number of tournaments the last few months. But sometimes, he falls victim to his self-imposed perfectionism. And when a bogey slips in on one hole, he tends to execute higher-risk shots to make up for a lost point, but things don't always go his way. But he is, no doubt, a full-blooded competitor and we always encourage him to go for it. We also simply believe in his extraordinary talent and abilities and in Landshut we now experienced some of what Keanu is capable of."
The Jahns family also enjoyed the moment by reflecting.
Continued Jahns Sr.: "In times of milestone successes, our family and I reflect on the wonderful support his PRO Mic Que in the Philippines, PING Philippines and Golf Depot Philippines CEO, Joey Mendoza, his European PRO David Blakeman at GC Habsberg, the GC Am Reichswald Nuernberg management and particularly Dr. Manuel Ober and captain Julian Hacker, and our close friends, the Borzym and Schoefer families, are extending. We also thank Tito Boy Leonio and Pete and Mechi Cervantes for their support, as well as ASIAN TOUR PRO Rick Gibson and Keanu's late putting PRO Venice Godio for their guidance and advice. We are grateful."
Keanu and his family now move on to the Vierer-Club Championship at GC Am Reichswald Nuernberg and next weeks EPD Tour Pfaffing CLASSIC, which will be Keanu's maiden European Tour professional event.
