Author: Michael Vlismas

PRETORIA (15 September 2024) – A lot goes into any win, and even more so a team victory. For both Jean Hugo and Ruan Korb, there was an immense sense of gratitude at seeing it all come together as they claimed victory in the Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship at the Silver Lakes Golf and Wildlife Estate on Sunday.

With family and friends watching, the duo put the finishing touches to a commanding final round better ball performance as they finished on 20 under par with a closing 63. It was Hugo’s second victory this season following his win in the Vodacom Origins of Golf last month. And Korb was delighted to win again after his last triumph in 2022.

“I’m very happy to be back in the winner’s circle. I thanked Jean on 18 for making that possible for me,” said Korb.

“You know, a lot of things have come together this season,” added Hugo. “Family life and that balance, and good friends, and then obviously all the hard work. All of us out here work very hard behind the scenes. But I think it’s balance and contentment. That’s the secret. I think it also gives a lot of people hope that no matter what age you are we can all play this wonderful game. It’s brilliant. I’m blessed.”

The teams of Trevor Fisher Jnr. and Stefan Wears-Taylor, and Jaco Ahlers and Michael Hollick, finished tied second on 16 under par.

Hugo and Korb finally got the fast start they were chasing all week and turned five under for their round, which had already distanced them from the field on a windy day at Silver Lakes. With three straight birdies from the 13^th they could enjoy a four-stroke lead playing the 18^th.

“We’re very happy about the start. When we teed off we told each other that if we could just start a little faster than the last three rounds we can build some good momentum. The course played harder today. But we managed the wind well and Jean helped me a lot with the direction of the wind,” said Korb.

Hugo also thoroughly enjoyed a day when he could truly soak in the win.

“It was awesome today. I made a good putt for birdie on the first to set us off and then Ruan chipped in for eagle on two which was brilliant. We were looking great after nine holes and just wanted to keep each other calm out there. After the birdie on the 15^th we could enjoy it coming in. You can never relax too much, but with the lead we had it was quite nice playing the 18^th, just hitting the green, making the putt and enjoying the celebrations.” – Michael Vlismas

PRETORIA (14 September 2024) – The leading teams of Jovan Rebula and Martin Vorster, and Jean Hugo and Ruan Korb, are preparing themselves for a better ball shootout in Sunday’s final round of the Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship at the Silver Lakes Golf and Wildlife Estate.

Having come through Saturday’s foursomes tied for the lead on 12 under par and one clear at the top of a very tight leaderboard, both teams know full well that it’s all to play for in Sunday’s better ball.

“Anything can happen there and I think the scoring will be low because the guys will have figured out the course by now. It’s all guns blazing for the final round. I’m looking forward to it,” said the experienced Hugo, who combined with Korb for a solid 67 in tricky conditions on Saturday.

“We saw the format before the tournament and knew the better ball was going to be the final round, so it’s all up for grabs for anyone. Anyone can have an outstanding day there and win,” added Rebula, who together with Vorster showed immense composure to shoot a 70 in the windy conditions.

The two teams are one clear of Jaco van Zyl and Gregory McKay who signed for a 66. Van Zyl added a hole-in-one on the par-three 13^th that not only elevated his team, but also earned him 50 000 Airlink Skybucks courtesy of the Airlink Aces reward on the Tour this season.

Michael Hollick and Jaco Ahlers could also still easily have a say in the final round, which they’ll go into just two off the lead.

With that kind of challenge awaiting, Hugo and Korb will be out to make a faster start on the front nine than they’ve done all week.

“Somehow we don’t start well on the front and we’ll work on that for the final round. But we like the back nine. Having said that the conditions were tough over the last few holes,” said Hugo.

“For some reason the back nine seems to suit us better than the front. But I’m looking forward to having Jean’s experience with me in the final round,” added Korb.

As the young guns at the top of the leaderboard, both Rebula and Vorster have shown some pretty cool heads over the last three rounds.

“Patience was a virtue out there again today. We got off to a good start but mid-round it got a bit tough and we had to just take a step back a bit and keep the ball in play. But we’ve got our gameplan and are enjoying it out here,” said Rebula.

“I think we did a great job to stick to our gameplan. We were a little bit more conservative. Our goal today was just to keep ourselves on top of the leaderboard. We can’t control what the others do in the final round but will just stick to our gameplan,” added Vorster. – Michael Vlismas

PRETORIA (13 September 2024) – If foursomes golf is all about trusting your partner, then competing with your brother-in-law as Daniel van Tonder and Malcolm Mitchell did, or your close friend as Jovan Rebula and Martin Vorster did, explains why these two teams share the lead on 11 under par heading into the weekend of the Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship at Silver Lakes Golf and Wildlife Estate.

With the team format shifting to foursomes on Friday, Van Tonder and Mitchell combined well for a 64 while Rebula and Vorster were solid on their way to a 68.

It was a good performance by both teams on a day of wind and hard greens, and with the Silver Lakes course armed with as much water as the name suggests.

They are one clear of the team of Hennie O’Kennedy and LB Boshoff, who combined for a 67. And Ryan van Velzen, who is defending his title but with a new partner this season in Yurav Premlall, can look forward to teeing off in Saturday’s third round just two shots off the lead.

The third round will also be foursomes, followed by a final round of better ball on Sunday.

Van Tonder and Mitchell certainly proved that as brothers-in-law they know about more than just each other’s family holiday plans as the navigated a tricky Silver Lakes in superb fashion on Friday.

“I’ve trusted a couple of people in my life, but there are certainly people you trust more than others and Daniel would be one of them. He’s always in good form with his game, and we also know each other’s games so well,” said Mitchell.

“We gave each other some good chances out there, which helped. I draw the ball and he fades it, so we were making some hearts out there. The main goal is to have fun and not get too upset out there,” added Van Tonder.

Alongside them at the top of the leaderboard, Vorster and Rebula also had a good understanding between them.

“I didn’t have to really deal with a bunch of challenges because Martin just hits tee shots straight down the middle of the fairway,” said Rebula.

“But I suppose it is different in that you’re playing for somebody else rather than just yourself. You put a little bit more emphasis on certain shots because  you want to put your partner in the best position possible. But we worked out a good gameplan today. You have to keep it in play on this course, and then you’ve got a lot of water around the greens here, which in this wind makes it interesting. But we just had a good gameplan and will carry on with that in the third round.”

“It’s more pressure than usual but Jovan is probably the most chilled guy on a golf course so I really enjoyed it,” added Vorster. – Michael Vlismas

PRETORIA (12 September 2024) – Some of them first met when they were as young as nine. Others have played so much golf together they know each other’s games as well as their own. For the Sunshine Tour’s professionals, selecting the right partner for this week’s Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship is much like the ingredients coming together to create a fine whisky.

Ryan van Velzen and Yurav Premlall certainly had the right mix in Thursday’s first round of this team event at the Silver Lakes Golf and Wildlife Estate.

They opened with a better ball score of eight-under-par 63 to share the lead with the teams of Heinrich Bruiners and Keenan Davidse, Luke Brown and Fredrik From, and Jovan Rebula and Martin Vorster. Vorster went so far as to add a hole-in-one on the par-three ninth hole.

They are all one clear of the teams of Dylan Mostert and Dylan Naidoo, and Altin van der Merwe and Christian Kriek.

It was the perfect start for Van Velzen, who won this title last season playing with Luca Filippi. “Yurav and I have known each other for a long time and we played a lot together in our junior golf days, so it’s a natural pairing. We have a lot of fun on the course,” said Van Velzen.

Premlall remembers the first time he met Van Velzen, and unlike this week they were on opposite teams on that occasion. “I was playing for Central Gauteng the first time I met Ryan, and I think we gave them 6&5 in our match. I remember it quite well because it was him and Casey Jarvis that we beat. We’ve always been pretty good friends though.”

Thursday’s better ball format was certainly suited to the attacking styles of both of them.

“We play a naturally attacking brand of golf and aren’t shy about taking the golf course on. I think that attitude of just going for it on every hole gave us a chance,” said Premlall.
Bruiners and Davidse have known each other since they were teenagers competing on opposite provincial teams.

“I played for Southern Cape and he played for Boland in those days. We weren’t supposed to get along,” said Bruiners.

Davidse said he’s thoroughly enjoying partnering with a golfer he’s always looked up to. “When I was 12 he was 14 and he had his Springbok colours already. In those days it was Heinrich Bruiners and Branden Grace in the Southern Cape team beating everyone. Heinrich then turned professional before I did and the fact that he’s won twice on the Sunshine Tour and come back from a very serious injury is an inspiration. I have so much respect for him.”

Behind the leaders, Naidoo and Mostert can also trace their first meeting back to their junior golf days.

“We first met at age eight or nine. We used to play together as juniors on a Saturday at Modderfontein Golf Club. We’ve been good friends since then. We’ve travelled together. We went to Japan together. It’s actually crazy how many years we’ve had playing golf together,” said Naidoo.

“I wouldn’t say we finish each other’s sentences, but we’re good friends,” added Mostert.
Friday’s foursomes format will require a completely difference approach.

“I think the foursomes will be key this week. It’s all about just playing solid stats golf – just hitting fairways and greens to give yourself chances,” said Van Velzen. – Michael Vlismas

PRETORIA (11 September 2024) – Daniel van Tonder heads into this week’s Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship at Silver Lakes Golf and Wildlife Estate in some of the best form of his career with two Sunshine Tour victories in August alone.

Van Tonder has played his way to the top of the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy with victories in the FNB Eswatini Challenge and the Gary & Vivienne Player Challenge last month.

This week brings a different focus and strategy as he teams up with fellow professional Malcolm Mitchell for a 72-hole Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship that is played in a team format including betterball and foursomes.

This R2 million tournament has quickly become one of the most popular on the calendar for the professionals as they enjoy a rare week on Tour of team golf.

But Van Tonder will still have a singular focus about what he wants to achieve this week as he looks to keep building on his current form.

“I had a six-week break recently and I think it did me the world of good. It gave me some good time to really practice and work on a few changes, and to take a step back from just playing week in and week out. And I think that has helped me to just enjoy my golf again,” he said.

Another man in great form is Yurav Premlall. The young star is currently second on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy, and as much as he’s chasing Van Tonder on that list he’s been doing the same on the golf course in August.

Premlall finished second to Van Tonder at both of his victories, and he’s added another two top-fives on the Sunshine Tour this season.

“I think I’ve just been getting my confidence again and competing with the kind of mindset I had as an amateur. It’s just a case of believing in myself that I can compete out here,” he said.
Premlall has Ryan van Velzen as his partner this week, with Van Velzen having won this title last season when he played with Luca Filippi.

“We make a good team and I’m looking forward to the week with him. We both play an aggressive brand of golf and are hoping we can take advantage of this course with that strategy.”
The Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship could certainly play its part as an enabler for the kind of bigger dreams Premlall has.

Last season when Van Velzen and Filippi teamed up to win, Van Velzen went on to win the overall Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy and thereby secured himself a DP World Tour card and a spot in The Open and US PGA Championship this year. And Filippi used that breakthrough victory to go on and claim the Blue Label Challenge for his second Sunshine Tour title two months later. – Michael Vlismas

Corey Conners will join a rare club of Canadian professionals to have competed in the Nedbank Golf Challenge when he tees it up in ‘Africa’s Major’ at Sun City from December 5-8, 2024, with tickets and an exciting new luxury public hospitality option available to buy here…

Conners has confirmed his place in the field for this DP World Tour event played in honour of Gary Player and which forms part of the 2025 Race to Dubai, in partnership with Nedbank and Sun International.

Conners will join Mike Weir as notable Canadian professionals to have played in the Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City.

The 32-year-old Conners heads to Sun City as a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, with both of his titles coming in the 2019 and 2023 Valero Texas Open.

He is also a member of the International Team for this year’s Presidents Cup, where he will compete under the captaincy of countryman Weir.

Conners’ performance in the Majors this year was highlighted by a finish of tied ninth in the US Open. He has also had three top-10s in The Masters in his career.

Conners adds to a strong field already including defending champion Max Homa, the South African Olympic duo of Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Erik van Rooyen, and Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by the Courier Guy winner Ryan van Velzen.

Fans at this year’s Nedbank Golf Challenge will also be able to take their viewing experience to the next level with the new luxury public Hospitali-TEE Lounge option.

Aimed to provide something more than the normal day visitor experience, fans will be able to book to watch the tournament in style in a brand new hospitality lounge located close to the Public Village and offering an air-conditioned facility with indoor and outdoor seating, a live feed of the golf, and catering throughout the day.

The package fee will include an official entrance ticket to the Nedbank Golf Challenge, accreditation for exclusive access to the Hospitali-TEE Lounge, a premium buffet including breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks, a fully stocked open bar, an all-day coffee station, a live television feed of the golf, daily live entertainment, a daily player autograph opportunity, a sunscreen station, daily prizes and competitions, and official Nedbank Golf Challenge merchandise. To book click here…

JOHANNESBURG – Danie van Tonder’s ability to ignore all the nerves that comes with the pressure of winning and simply trust his attacking instincts once again paid off as he eagled the 18^th hole to put himself in a playoff which he then won in the Gary & Vivienne Player Challenge at Kyalami Country Club on Friday.

Van Tonder, who started the final round four strokes off the lead, first of all chipped in to eagle the 480m par-five closing hole in regulation play to complete a brilliant six-under-par 66 and leap to 14-under-par for the tournament.

The 33-year-old then had to wait to see if his clubhouse lead withstood the challenge of the last three two-balls. The eagle proved crucial as both Yurav Premlall and Martin Rohwer shot four-under-par 68s to also finish on 14-under, sending the trio into a sudden death-playoff on the 18th.

Premlall was eliminated on the second play-off hole as he made par and Van Tonder and Rohwer both birdied the par-five. After replaying the last hole three times, they then took on the par-three 17^th, which Van Tonder had bogeyed in regulation play. Another excellent chip shot, this time out of a bunker, set up victory for the 10^th time on the Sunshine Tour.

“I was frustrated when I stood on the 18^th tee in regulation play because I was unlucky twice on 17. First I had a bad bounce with my tee-shot that went over the green, but I hit a great chip, only for the par-putt to horseshoe out. I knew it was a big putt,” Van Tonder said.

“I also knew I had to make eagle on the last to have a chance, so we took driver and tried to get as close as possible to the water. I had a five-iron in, which finished just right of the green. I said ‘Take the pin out!’ because I knew there had to be space for the ball, and then I chipped in.

“We then went back to 17 in the playoff and Martin and I were both in the greenside bunker. He hit a good shot to about three metres, but I was able to put it within a foot and make the par,” Van Tonder said matter-of-factly about two extraordinary moments of self-belief.

“Congratulations to Daniel, who played magnificent golf. I cannot wait to welcome him and the other Sunshine Tour professionals who have qualified to join us at the Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational at Sun City. I’m extremely grateful to our Sunshine Tour professionals and their ongoing support of our efforts to raise funds for The Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation,” said Gary Player.

The Serengeti Estate golfer also won the FNB Eswatini Challenge on August 3, and said he was pleased his hard work on his game since returning from Europe is paying off.

“I’ve been playing well for a while, so it’s nice to be able to pluck the fruit from the tree, so to speak. They call me the Silent Assassin and the camera is never on me back in the field, but the game is there,” Van Tonder said.

Premlall had birdied the 18^th to get into the playoff, but fell just short of his maiden Sunshine Tour title, while Rohwer had moved to 14-under with a birdie on the par-five 13^th, but he just could not grab another opportunity to move ahead.

Ruan Conradie (66), Christian Kriek (68) and Altin van der Merwe (69) finished tied for fourth on 11-under-par, while overnight leader Jonathan Broomhead made too many mistakes in the final round, suffering five bogeys in a 74 that left him on 10-under, tied for seventh with Malcolm Mitchell (68), Lyle Rowe (69), Christiaan Burke (71) and Jean Hugo (71).

Van Tonder and the next leading 22 professionals from this tournament, as well as the top five transformation professionals and two tournament invites, have earned a place in the prestigious Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational at Sun City in November, where a collection of professionals golfers, celebrities, sports stars and business leaders will come together to raise even more funds for The Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation.
 

Mauritius will once again host the crowning of the DP World Tour’s king of the Opening Swing, with the US$1.5 million AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at Mont Choisy Le Golf set to feature as the final tournament of the Tour’s five-tournament swing this December.
 
Tickets will be available here through the official ticketing partner
ticketbox.mu from 1 September 2024.

The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open will be played at the spectacular Mont Choisy Le Golf in Grand Baie, Mauritius, from 19-22 December, with a field of Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour stars set to gather on the Indian Ocean island.
 
They’ll be playing for the double incentive of AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open glory as well as a host of opportunities open to the winner of the five-tournament Opening Swing, which forms part of the DP World Tour’s 2025 Race to Dubai.
 
The winner of the Opening Swing will earn a US$200 000 bonus as well as exemption into the DP World Tour’s next Rolex Series tournament and to some of the Tour’s most historic tournaments, each offering increased Race to Dubai Ranking Points and the chance to qualify for the DP World Tour Championship.
 
“AfrAsia Bank is immensely proud to be associated with the golfing sport that many of our clients enjoy. Staging the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open comes with the prospect of significant economic advantages, with tangible benefits to many vital sectors of the Mauritian economy. This tournament is a springboard to position internationally the ‘Mauritius Brand’ as a tourist destination, golfing platform and financial hub. Beyond the international pedigree of this tournament and the excitement it brings to the world of golfing, the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is born out of our commitment to build lasting relationships with our stakeholders through a shared passion for golf and it helps us extend our brand footprint around the globe,” asserted Thierry Vallet, Chief Executive Officer of AfrAsia Bank.
 
This will be the second time that Mont Choisy Le Golf hosts the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open following Frenchman Antoine Rozner’s impressive triumph here in 2022. His five-stroke victory remains the biggest margin of victory in the history of the tournament.
 
“Hosting the ABMO at Mont Choisy Le Golf marks a pivotal moment for Mauritius,” said Dominique Autrey, COO of the Mont Choisy Group. “This prestigious event not only showcases our world-class course but also spotlights the North’s untapped potential.  We are hosting this tournament during the blooming of the famous Flamboyant trees around the Mont Choisy Beach and Golf estate, where sporting excellence, sustainable luxury living, and the natural beauty of Mauritius converge, offering a truly once-in-a lifestyle experience to all those attending the event. The ABMO will be a catalyst, positioning Mont Choisy and Mauritius as a premier golfing destination in the Indian Ocean.”
 
Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, the leading Mauritian hospitality group, will be the official accommodation partner for the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
 
“For over seven decades, Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels has embodied the Art of Beautiful, offering luxury hospitality at Mauritius’s finest beachfront locations. We look forward to welcoming the world’s top golfers and their families, ensuring they experience unforgettable moments. With over 400 million households worldwide tuning in to watch the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, this event will be an opportunity to showcase not just our resorts but the unique charm and beauty of Mauritius,” said Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels CEO, Stéphane Poupinel de Valencé.
 
The global audience of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open makes the tournament a key partner for the goals of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA).
 
“We look forward to hosting the professionals and their families for a week that is indeed a highlight of the golf calendar. The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is a key partner for Mauritius tourism as it brings the eyes of the golf world to our island and showcases our unique blend of spectacular golf courses and outstanding hospitality. We have a history in the game that stretches back over a century, and we are proud to be able to support the constant innovation in this industry that is represented by this tournament, and which reflects Mauritius as an island of energy and adventure,” said Donald Payen, Chairman of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA).
 
This year marks the eighth edition of a tournament that has showcased the strength of the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour’s strategic alliance, and its power to create a global pathway for its champions to further their careers at the highest level of the game.
 
Every single former champion of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is now a multiple winner on the DP World Tour, while several have also won on the PGA Tour. The tournament has also played host to Major winners, and Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup stars.
 
Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour said: “The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is a proud example of our co-sanctioning success with the DP World Tour. Its status as the final tournament on the Opening Swing and the elevated opportunities that come with this is testament to its phenomenal growth since it first teed off in 2015. We are extremely grateful to AfrAsia Bank and the many sponsors who continue to make this tournament such a success.”
 
Ben Cowen, the DP World Tour’s Chief Tournament & Operations Officer, said: “The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open will provide a fitting conclusion to our Opening Swing on the 2025 Race to Dubai. Mauritius is a fantastic destination and Mont Choisy Le Golf is a worthy test that will combine for a memorable week as we celebrate the first of the DP World Tour’s global swings.”
 
The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is proudly supported by leading brands such as AfrAsia Bank, Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, the Mont Choisy Group, the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), Rogers, IBL, Emtel, Heritage Resorts, Mastercard, Poncini, the Mauritius Golf Federation, Phoenix Beverages, Kohler, ticketbox.mu, DStv, Air Mauritius, C-Care and Mautourco.

Jonathan Broomhead says it is crucial to get yourself into good positions at Kyalami Country Club and that is precisely what the 23-year-old did on Thursday as he earned himself a two-stroke lead going into the final round of the Gary & Vivienne Player Challenge.

Broomhead fired a brilliant seven-under-par 65 in Thursday’s second round, leaving him at 12-under for the tournament. That round was made even more impressive by the fact that he did not get off to a good start at all, making bogey at the first two holes, both par-fours.

“I got off to a bad start thanks to a couple of bad swings that put me in bad positions and led to ‘simple’ bogeys,” Broomhead explained. “But having done nicely in the first round and seeing a couple of guys shooting nine-under today, there was an eight-under and another seven-under too, I knew there were quite a few birdies out there.

“So it was just a case of having a mental shift after a shaky start when I missed a couple of fairways. I drove the ball very nicely after that, which put me in position to attack the flags and score. I hit the ball well and made some putts.”

With Andrew Williamson the other golfer to shoot 65 on Thursday, lifting him into second place on 10-under, tied with Martin Rohwer (67) and Yurav Premlall, who owned the 64 to continue his great recent form, Broomhead is clear about what he needs to do in the final round to get his second Sunshine Tour title after his impressive victory in the Tour Championship delivered by The Courier Guy in April.

“I’ve kept going with the way I ended off last season by winning the Tour Champs, week-in, week-out I’m just trying to give myself opportunities and I’ve done that with five top-10 finishes this season.

“It’s going to be exciting tomorrow and I’ll just try to play the course as it is. It’s going to be colder, so that makes it tricky. But if you can hit the ball well off the tee and put yourself in good positions then there are a lot of birdies out there because you’ll get a lot of run with the course being so dry. It’s not such a long layout [6631m] and if the bounces go your way then you’ll have a lot of short clubs into the greens,” Broomhead said.

In these conditions, two shots is a handy lead but not enough to feel completely confident of winning. Apart from the trio in second, with Rohwer having won three times on tour and Premlall having finished second and third twice each this season, there is plenty of winning pedigree near the top of the leaderboard.

Jean Hugo, the owner of 20 Sunshine Tour titles after his victory at Highland Gate two weeks ago, shot a 66 on Thursday to join Christiaan Burke (68) in fifth place on nine-under-par, just three behind Broomhead.

Altin van der Merwe posted a fabulous nine-under 63 on Thursday to join nine-time Sunshine Tour winner Danie van Tonder (66), the champion in Eswatini three weeks ago, and the in-form Rookie of the Year standings leader Kyle de Beer (67) on eight-under, along with Jacques P. de Villiers (69) and Ruan de Smidt (69).

Lyle Rowe was the other golfer to shoot a wonderful 63, lifting him to seven-under-par, five off the lead, along with Christian Kriek (68), Rhys West (67) and Pierre Pellegrin (68).

JOHANNESBURG – England-based James Mack shot a six-under-par 66 on Wednesday to lead the Gary & Vivienne Player Challenge after the first round at Kyalami Country Club, but there is a group of strong South African Sunshine Tour talent chasing him down just one stroke behind.

Simon du Plooy, Jacques P. de Villiers, Ruan de Smidt, Christiaan Burke, Martin Rohwer and Jonathan Broomhead all posted five-under-par 67s on Wednesday to ensure Mack has plenty of challengers in his rearview mirror.

De Villiers, whose only bogey came on the par-five 13^th when he three-putted, said the key to doing well at Kyalami Country Club on Wednesday was shaping the ball on the 6631-metre course with tight fairways.

“The fairways are very hard and they’re tight, so it’s tough to hit them with the ball bouncing so much. You’ve got to be able to shape the ball off the tee and I did that well today,” De Villiers said.

“I also putted really well and even though I made four birdies and an eagle, I still had a few horseshoes, including one that came right back at me. But it was a really solid round, I played well today in conditions that were very nice. It wasn’t too cold this morning and the wind didn’t blow too much either.”

The highlight of De Villiers’ season thus far has been finishing third in the FBC Zambia Open, which was then followed by a long break. His finishes since the Sunshine Tour returned to action have been 20^th, 43^rd, 35^th and 37^th, but the Schoeman Park golfer still feels his game is well-toned as he looks towards the co-sanctioned events in the summer.

“I’ve been working hard on my swing with Doug Wood and the changes are there or thereabouts. But the game has been trending in the right direction for sure over the last couple of weeks. It’s all preparation now for the big events on the summer swing,” the 34-year-old said.

Mack started his round on the par-four 10^th hole and immediately picked up a birdie. Two more birdies in a faultless back nine saw him go out in three-under, and he collected four more birdies on the front nine, although a bogey on the par-three fourth hole was a hiccup.

Ten other golfers are two shots behind on four-under-par.