Month: March 2026

With two tournaments to go, the Sunshine Tour’s 2025-26 season is far from over. In fact, it’s now only starting to get real in terms of opportunity.

The Courier Guy Playoffs brings together the leading available professionals on the Sunshine Tour Courier Guy Order of Merit for a two-tournament showdown – The Serengeti Playoffs and the DNi Tour Championship presented by RMB.

This week’s Serengeti Playoffs at Serengeti Estates offers 3 000 points, while the DNi Tour Championship at De Zalze Golf Club at the end of March offers 5 000 points.

At Serengeti this week, the top 60 available professionals on the current Courier Guy Order of Merit are in the field for this 72-hole, no halfway cut showpiece. They’re playing for the right to be amongst the top 50 professionals on the Courier Guy Order of Merit who qualify for the DNi Tour Championship presented by RMB.

These two events will end the season. But at the same time, they’ll open up a world of opportunity for the top performers as part of the Sunshine Tour’s global pathway via the HotelPlanner Tour and DP World Tour.

The winner of the Courier Guy Order of Merit earns a place in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player and two Majors, namely The PGA Championship and The Open.

The leading player in the top 10 of the final Courier Guy Order of Merit who doesn’t already have status on the DP World Tour will earn a card for next season. The next two leading players will receive cards on the HotelPlanner Tour for next season.

There are also a host of cash incentives to play for over these next two tournaments.

Apart from the individual tournament prize funds, the leading three players on the final Courier Guy Order of Merit will receive R500 000 (first place), R200 000 (second place) and R100 000 (third place) respectively.

The winner of the Courier Guy Order of Merit will receive an MSC international cruise, while players finishing second and third will each receive a five-day, four-night local cruise.

And the top three Sunshine Tour professionals from the final Courier Guy Order of Merit will win a Hyundai for a year.

The end of the season will also see the crowning of the Fortress Rookie of the Year, with the top player here earning a R400 000 bonus.

And both the winner of the Courier Guy Order of Merit and Fortress Rookie of the Year will receive automatic entry into the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions supported by Attacq and WCMC in June this year, where they will compete for a first prize of R1 million.

This Sunshine Tour season is far from over.

A world of golf opportunity is about to tee off. – Michael Vlismas

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng – England’s Dan Bradbury claimed his second Joburg Open title in dramatic fashion at the Houghton Golf Club on Sunday.

With the lead changing several times over the closing six holes, Bradbury held his nerve and produced a birdie on 17 and then a sublime chip from the back of the 18^th to save par at the last and claim the title on 17 under with a closing 65.

Casey Jarvis missed a six-footer at the last that would have forced a playoff as he closed with a 66 to share second place with Brandon Robinson Thompson (66) on 16 under par.

With this victory, Bradbury adds to his 2022 triumph and becomes only the third player in Joburg Open history to win this title more than once, after South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel and Richard Sterne.

“It’s amazing. It’s a great feeling. It’s so nice to have so many people here that I know,” said Bradbury.

It was a thrilling final back nine to this tournament.

Hennie du Plessis went into it with a three-stroke lead over the field but then stumbled with two bogeys and a double bogey in five holes.

Thompson then looked to be in control before two bogeys in his final four holes set him back.

With the fortunate position of being in the last group, Bradbury could watch it all unfold and set himself a target.

“The three birdies in a row at holes nine, 10 and 11 was probably the turning point for me and it got me back in the tournament. Then at holes 12 and 13 I knew I’m in this,” he said.

An aggressive second over the back of the 18^th green left him with a difficult chip to save the par he needed to win. And he executed it to perfection and within inches of the hole.

“That chip on 18 – I’m not known for my short game so I was really pleased with that one. I was literally shaking over it and I’m really happy it came out like it did.”

Bradbury has now given himself a massive boost to chase the goal he’d set for himself at the start of the season.

“The goal was to get one of those 10 PGA TOUR cards, and this has made it that much more realistic.” – Michael Vlismas

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng – South Africa’s Hennie du Plessis came through a marathon 27 holes on Saturday to lead the Joburg Open and give himself a chance at a maiden DP World Tour title for the second week in succession.

Du Plessis had to complete the suspended second round on Saturday morning, and finished six shots off the lead. Then he signed for an incredible 62 in his third round – including a back nine of 29 and five successive birdies from the 10^th – to lead on 14 under par.

“It was nice, but I’m pretty tired now. I’m also a bit sick, so I’m looking forward to relaxing a bit now,” said Du Plessis, who finished second in last week’s Investec South African Open.

The man who won that tournament, Casey Jarvis, is amongst his nearest challengers on 12 under par. Jarvis signed for a 64 to join the English trio of former Joburg Open champion Dan Bradbury (64), Alex Fitzpatrick (64) and Brandon Robinson Thompson (70) in joint second place.

And American Patrick Reed remains a threat at six shots off the lead.

But Du Plessis clearly found something on his back nine on Saturday that will make him hard to catch on Sunday.

“I got it going and I’m very pleased with the way I’m striking it and putting. It was nice. I struggled to get going on the front nine and find some momentum, and then I found something on the back nine. The birdie on 10 just started the momentum for me,” he said.

Du Plessis has been in incredible form ever since he came back from injury, and has a win and two runners-up finishes in his last six events on the Sunshine Tour.

“I took my time coming back. I was healthy after about 15 months and then I spent three months training hard. I went to the gym and I worked on my short game. I think it’s important when you’re out for that long that you keep doing what you can. I’ve been playing well now for a while, and if you get that chance you just need to keep riding that wave.” – Michael Vlismas

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng – South Africa’s Jayden Schaper didn’t drop a single shot in heavy rain and despite a suspension of play for lightning, and England’s Nathan Kimsey ran onto the tee with 30 seconds to spare after making it in as first reserve through a late withdrawal to see them share the clubhouse lead with Germany’s Maximilian Steinlechner on a wild first day of the Joburg Open on Thursday.

Schaper, Kimsey and Steinlechner did well with their opening rounds of six-under-par 64 for a one-stroke clubhouse lead over Wilco Nienaber, Jacob Olesen, Darius van Driel and Hugo Townsend.

The almost constant rain from early on Thursday morning and the one hour and 45-minute delay because of lightning means the first round will have to be completed on Friday morning.

South Africa’s Luke Brown is seven under through 12 holes, and Spain’s Angel Ayora is on six under with three holes to complete.

Jacques Kruyswijk, who lost in a playoff for this title last year, and former Joburg Open champion Richard Sterne made good starts with their rounds of two-under 68, and American Patrick Reed – making his debut in this event – signed for an opening one-under 69.

Schaper was only too happy to have finished his round as he looks for his third victory on the DP World Tour this season.

“It’s always nice to get off to a good start, especially with it being so wet out there. It’s hard to judge what the greens are going to do with your approach shots and the spin. There were a lot of slow patches on the greens as well. But I just played the same game I’ve been playing. From tee to green I was pretty good,” he said of a round that included an eagle on the par-five fifth hole where he hit a rescue to 15 feet and holed the putt.

“I’m looking forward to the rest of the week. We’ll have to see what the weather has planned for us. You can’t control that so we’ll see what happens.”

Kimsey was just as delighted with his round, especially considering he didn’t think he’d play. He was waiting at the clubhouse as first reserve, and a late withdrawal saw him running to the 10^th tee with seconds to tee off.

“I turned up at the club first thing hoping I’d get a tee time. The last tee time in the morning wave came and went and no word. I came back to the clubhouse and had my feet up when I suddenly got the phonecall to say I was in,” he said.

“Under the circumstances my round was fantastic. I just took it as an opportunity I got at the last minute, and it worked out pretty well.” – Michael Vlismas

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng – Watching Jayden Schaper and Casey Jarvis win back-to-back on the DP World Tour this season has given Nikhil Rama an even greater belief in his own ability heading into this week’s Joburg Open at Houghton Golf Club.

The 24-year-old Rama is back on his favourite Johannesburg fairways this week, and where he finished sixth in the 2023 Joburg Open.

“I just feel at home out here. I’m very comfortable with this golf course. I’ve played here all my life. Even in practice rounds I don’t need to do too much because I know what to do around here,” he said ahead of Thursday’s first round.

“This is my favourite co-sanctioned of the year. I’ve played the Joburg Open every year since I turned pro. It’s got a special place in my heart.”

That sixth-place finish in a Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned event was exactly the confirmation Rama needed to know he can compete at this level. And having played junior golf with the likes of Schaper and Jarvis and now seeing them win has boosted that self-belief.

“It gave me the confidence that I can compete out here. Ever since that 2023 performance my game has levelled up. I haven’t had it completely yet, but this week again I know I can compete.

“I grew up competing with Jayden and Casey. I started a bit later and they were winning quite a lot at junior level already. But it gives me the confidence that I know I can compete on their level. What they’re doing is special and I know I’ve got the same capabilities.”

Scotland’s Calum Hill is also looking forward to drawing on his positive memories of Houghton Golf Club as the defending champion.

“It’s nice to have all the good memories coming back. As a golfer you sometimes just remember the bad shots, but this week all I’m remembering are the good shots I hit here last year,” said Hill.

His playoff victory over South Africa’s Shaun Norris and Jacques Kruyswijk was his second DP World Tour title and led to one of his best finishes on the Race to Dubai Rankings of 38^th last season.

“The win last year was great because I’d put in a lot of hard work for six months before that, so it was nice to get something out of it. It just kicked everything off for me and put me in a really good position.”

He returns to Johannesburg in good form after a solid finish of tied 20^th at the Investec South African Open, and two runners-up finishes this year already.

“The game is in good shape. I’ve had a nice start to the year and I’d like to just keep that momentum going this week. I think my game combined with the good memories here all adds up to a decent week. The course is soft after all the rain, but overall it’s immaculate.” – Michael Vlismas

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng – Casey Jarvis will do his best to reset for their week’s Joburg Open, having arrived home to see the pin flags of both The Masters and The Open at his house as a reminder of what he has achieved in recent weeks.

His back-to-back victories in the Magical Kenya Open and Investec South African Open lifted him to 80^th on the Official World Golf Ranking – the highest of his career –, third on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings, second on The Courier Guy Order of Merit on the Sunshine Tour, and with exemptions into the upcoming Masters and Open to look forward to.

This week he returns to a Joburg Open where he finished ninth in 2022, and hoping to join an exclusive club that includes giants of the game such as Seve Ballesteros and Sir Nick Faldo who have claimed three successive victories on the DP World Tour. Ballesteros achieved this in 1986 and Faldo in 1983.

“That would be crazy. I’ll definitely go for it. To have my name up there with theirs would be unreal,” said Jarvis, who still cannot believe how his career – and life – has changed.

“I got home on Monday, and to see The Masters pin flag and The Open pin flag was truly unreal. It’s crazy that I’m going to The Masters. To have won my home Open is a dream come true.”

But he is well aware of the challenge he faces again this week at Houghton Golf Club.

“The Joburg Open was one of those I’ve wanted to win. It would be nice to be in contention for it, but as always, everybody starts again at level par this week. It’s been two long weeks for me mentally, but I’m going to give it my all and hopefully it turns out well. I’ll keep my expectations very low. There are so many good players here like Patrick Reed and Jayden Schaper, so I know it will be a long hard battle. Houghton is a tricky little short golf course with very slopey greens. Your iron play has to be spot on this week, and your putting as well if you want to compete.” – Michael Vlismas

STELLENBOSCH, Western Cape – The world of golf has opened up for young South African Casey Jarvis.

The 22-year-old won the 115^th Investec South African Open Championship at Stellenbosch Golf Club on Sunday to not just add his name to South African golf history, but also secure exemptions into The Masters in April and The Open in July this year.

As golf dreams go, it’s one of the biggest for this young star of the game who has come through the ranks of GolfRSA, and who with this victory has now won every major national amateur and professional trophy in South African golf.

“It just feels amazing. To be standing in this position right now, I truly feel on top of the world,” said Jarvis.

In one of the most composed rounds of his professional career, Jarvis beat a tough Stellenbosch Golf Club course, rain, and a lightning delay to close with a final round of 67 and win by three strokes on 14 under par.

South Africa’s Hennie du Plessis, France’s Frederic Lacroix and Italy’s Francesco Laporta shared second place on 11 under par. Lacroix and Laporta took the other two exemptions into The Open that were on offer in this championship.

“There were so many people that came to watch and it was fantastic. Hennie (Du Plessis) and Francesco (Laporta) played great golf, but I knew I had to just keep making pars and I did that pretty well,” said Jarvis.

“As South African golfers we all dream of winning our home Open and to have done it feels amazing. I just can’t wait to go to Augusta. It’s so cool. I’ve got no words to describe the feeling. Hopefully Tiger Woods is playing because he’s my role model. And to play The Open with all of its history is unreal. I can’t wait.”

Jarvis went into the final round one stroke clear of the field and kept himself in front all day, even when he made a bogey on the 10^th, on his way to back-to-back victories on the DP World Tour after winning in Kenya the week before. Jarvis is the second South African after Jayden Schaper to win back-to-back on the DP World Tour this season.

Charl Barnard won the Freddie Tait Cup for the leading amateur after finishing on level par with a closing 68. “If you told me three years ago I’d even be playing in the Investec SA Open, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. Things can change very, very quickly,” he said.

It was indeed a dream Sunday for South African golf, with record crowds for the national Open.

And they came to cheer for Jarvis, who was a young amateur with the biggest dreams when he worked as a volunteer at the 2017 Investec South African Open just so he could watch Rory McIlroy play.

On Sunday at Stellenbosch Golf Club, he played his way into South African golf history.

And the entire world of golf has opened its arms to him. – Michael Vlismas