Month: April 2026

VEREENIGING, Gauteng – Samuel Simpson claimed his second Sunshine Tour title in the season-opening Mediclinic Invitational at the Heron Banks Golf & River Estate on Saturday.

Simpson carded a final round of one-under-par 70 to win on 19 under par, three shots clear of Simon du Plooy (66) and Austin Bautista (68).

Simpson took a five-shot lead into the final round but started with a double-bogey on the first and then a bogey on the third. He steadied his round with two birdies thereafter, then added an eagle on the par-five 11^th. He birdied 13 and bogeyed 14 before parring his way to the title.

Du Plooy, who was as much as seven shots behind at the start of the round,  threatened to catch Simpson on the back nine and was just two shots behind after his birdie on the 16^th. But a bogey on 17 ended his challenge.

“I made it hard for myself early on at the start of the round, but I’m just really happy with the way I handled myself. I didn’t take myself out of it,” Simpson said.

“I’m just learning every day I’m out here and taking a lot of advice from the more experienced pros. I also just slowed my walk down and I slowed my tempo down. I just believed in myself to be honest,” Simpson said.

Bautista’s share of second continued his excellent form that saw him end last season with finishes of eighth and seventh and now start the new season with a second place.

The Sunshine Tour travels across the border for its next event, the FBC Zim Open at Royal Harare Golf Club from 7-10 May. – Michael Vlismas Media

VEREENIGING, Gauteng – Samuel Simpson carded a spectacular bogey-free nine-under-par 62 to seize the lead in Friday’s third round of the Mediclinic Invitation at the Heron Banks Golf & River Estate.

Simpson climbed to 18 under par and will take a commanding five-shot lead into Saturday’s final round.

Travis Procter impressed with a seven-under-par 64 and is in joint second place with Jaco Prinsloo (66), Keagan Thomas (68), and Austin Bautista (69) on 13 under par.

Simpson started his round with back-to-back birdies on the first and second holes followed by another birdie on the ninth. He carried that momentum into the back nine and came home in 29 with six birdies.

“Today was really good. I definitely wasn’t pushing for the score, it’s just a result of me feeling pretty calm out there and enjoying being at the top of the leaderboard. Being on Tour for the last three or four years now, I definitely feel more comfortable in that position and am back to how I was feeling as an amateur golfer,” Simpson said.

Simpson has steadily been improving since turning professional and playing on the Sunshine Tour, and then winning the Mopani Zambian Open in June last year.

“I had a great amateur career, but I feel like I have been holding back a bit. I am now just letting it go and playing golf.  The win in Zambia has really helped me getting into the bigger events and being exposed to some of the great players, and learning as much as I can along the way. This week I am just playing with a lot of freedom and the score is just a result of that,” he said.

Heading into the final round with a five-shot lead, Simpson said he will play his own game as he hunts a second Sunshine Tour title.

“I am looking forward to it. There will be different feelings and emotions as to what I have experienced before being in the lead by that much, but the goal is to just play with freedom. I would love to extend that lead and will play how I want to play. If that puts me at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the round, then I will be happy. I will hopefully be lifting the trophy at the end.” – Michael Vlismas Media

VEREENIGING, Gauteng – Australian Austin Bautista continued where he left off last season and claimed a share of the second-round lead with Keegan McLachlan in the Mediclinic Invitational at Heron Banks Golf & River Estate on Thursday.

Bautista carded a bogey-free round of five-under-par 66 to share the lead with McLachlan, who signed for a three-under-par 68, on 11 under par.

They are one shot clear of the South African duo of Keagan Thomas (67) and Wynand Dingle (64).

Bautista finished off last season in impressive form, with eighth in The Courier Guy Playoffs and seventh in the DNi Tour Championship on his way to a final placing of 15^th on the Courier Guy Order of Merit.

McLachlan did well to keep his title chase on track despite two bogeys in his round, and not having his A-game with him.

“Today was a bit more of a grind than yesterday. I just didn’t hit the ball as well and didn’t roll in as many putts as yesterday. But overall I am happy with the round. I managed it well. I played the front nine solid, missed a few putts, but had some good up-and-downs that kept the momentum going. I finished with two nice birdies,” said McLachlan.

His bogey on the 12^th came after he hit his tee shot into the hazard. But he made up for that with a solid chip to within half a foot of the hole on 13 for a birdie there. His second bogey on the 16^th hole came after one of his best drives this week, but which found the fairway bunker. The rollercoaster continued as he responded with a long birdie putt on the par-three 17^th hole.

As the joint leader heading into the final two rounds, McLachlan is looking forward to the challenge of chasing a maiden Sunshine Tour title.

“I will have the same approach and have fun. The nerves will be there, but you must use it to your advantage. I am happy with the start but there is still a long way to go. I’ve got to stick to what I am doing well and whatever happens, happens,” McLachlan said. – Michael Vlismas Media

VEREENIGING, Gauteng – Keegan McLachlan started the Sunshine Tour’s new 2026/27 season on a strong note when he opened with a bogey-free first round of eight-under-par 63 on Wednesday to lead the Mediclinic Invitational at the Heron Banks Golf & River Estate.

After losing his Sunshine Tour card at the end of last season, McLachlan has started the new season with a vengeance and earned himself a one-shot lead over MJ Viljoen and Samuel Simpson.

McLachlan started his round on the 10^th and rolled in two birdies and an eagle in his first seven holes.

“I got off to a solid start and was one under par through the first five holes after missing two short birdie putts on the 12^th and 13^th holes. I chipped in from 50 meters for an eagle on the 15^th hole, which felt like it kickstarted my round. On the 16^th hole I made an 18-foot putt to turn in four under par,” he said.

With the weather closing in, McLachlan kept the momentum going and picked up three birdies in the opening three holes of his second nine, before adding a final birdie on the sixth – his 15^th hole.

“When I got to the second green the wind was really pumping and the rain started to come down. I ended up hitting a six-iron into the third hole from 165 meters because of the rain and wind, and it ended up half a foot from the pin – I almost made a hole-in-one. It was a nice way to start the back nine – birdie, birdie, birdie. For the rest of the round I played solid golf and just stuck to my gameplan.”

Since his joint 10^th place at the 2023 Vodacom Origins of Golf KwaZulu-Natal, McLachlan struggled with his game and ultimately lost his Sunshine Tour card at the end of last season. Things, however, seem to be moving in the right direction this season.

“The last season I would say has been quite a struggle with my swing and it took a toll on my confidence mentally. I moved to a new coach in the beginning of the year – Athol Dowie – and he is keeping it very simple for me with a long-term process working on my swing. My short game has always been good, and now I am driving the ball nicely. It’s a big help on a course like this,” McLachlan said. – Michael Vlismas Media

This year, the South African challenge at The Masters will be one of the youngest, with a 21-year-old Aldrich Potgieter and a 22-year-old Casey Jarvis in the field. Charl Schwartzel brings the experience at the age of 41.

Jarvis was around eight years old when Schwartzel pulled on his green jacket in 2011, and Potgieter was about seven at the time.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy spoke this week about this being the great aspect of golf – the overlapping of generations in the game.

And there is a real sense that South African golf is overlapping now as a new generation of young stars begin their Major journeys, and more particularly their Masters journeys.

Jarvis makes his Masters debut after securing his place through his victory in the Investec South African Open.

Jarvis had no sooner won his national Open than Gary Player sent him a personal letter of congratulations, adding, “You now head to Augusta National for your debut in The Masters. Your journey in the Majors begins in earnest. I look forward to seeing you at Augusta National this year. And I look forward to shaking the hand of my fellow South African Open champion”.

Potgieter is playing in his first Masters as a professional, after making his debut as an amateur in 2023.

And Schwartzel is now a veteran of his 17^th Masters – a winner in 2011, third in 2017 and tied 10^th in 2022.

The beauty of Augusta National is that although we return to the same golf course every year for this Major, it always brings something different – subtle changes that keep it ahead of the game.

And there is a similar sense in the generations that go through here as well, from Hogan and Snead to The Big Three of Palmer, Nicklaus and Player, then to Nicklaus and Watson, on to Norman, Faldo and Ballesteros, and then to Woods and Mickelson. And now maybe to Scheffler and McIlroy.

This week, a new generation of South Africans will also start writing their own history at The Masters. – Michael Vlismas