ONE of the most common questions Graeme Storm has faced since winning the SA Open is who was on his bag as he walked the fairways at the Glendower Golf Club on Sunday – and that unfamiliar face is now set for a decent windfall.

Little Thama Jeffrey Nkonyane is someone Storm has known for years but it was a stroke of luck how he ended up being his bagman for the second European Tour title triumph of his career.

Jeffrey, as Storm has always referred to him, was asked to fill in last week because the Hartlepool pro’s Tour caddie, Garry Malia, was on honeymoon so has only caught up with him since in Abu Dhabi.

Storm’s triumph means a financial boost to the tune of around £140,000 and, if the normal ten per cent caddy rate applies, that means the 51-year-old local will pocket £14,000, a significant sum in South Africa.

Jeffrey, from Soweto, said: “This will definitely be the biggest pay-day of my life and of course the money is going to be great, but this is proudest day of my career.

“It was very special to win the SA Open in front of my home crowd with Graeme, because we’ve known each other more than 20 years.

“I used to caddie for him in his amateur days, when he came out to South Africa as a youngster to compete in the SA Stroke Play and SA Match Play.

“We always reconnect when he comes to South Africa and he calls on me if he doesn’t bring his own bagman. This time his caddy went on honeymoon, so he called and I came.”

Even when Storm has turned up in South Africa with his own caddie, Jeffrey has often helped. It is a relationship that has blossomed, and one which clearly worked in Gauteng as he went on to beat Rory McIlroy in the play-off.

“Graeme had never played with Rory before, so we knew it was going to be a stressful day at the office, but I have to say, the South African golf fans had a lot to do with his win,” Jeffrey said.

“At almost every hole, for every shot, they cheered just as hard for Graeme as they did for Rory and that really gave us a lot of confidence. Graeme didn’t have time to feel the nerves.

“My job was to keep him looking ahead and keep him in the game. We’ve always worked well together and he had the confidence to tackle Rory.

“I am so proudly South African. This just shows you that we are as good as caddies anywhere in the world and I hope the youngsters watching saw what Graeme and I did today. You can achieve anything if you work hard and you keep trying.”