Author: Michael Vlismas

SERENGETI ESTATES, Kempton Park – Ockie Strydom started the current Sunshine Tour season as a player looking to make that step up in his career. He ends it at this week’s Tour Championship having done exactly this, with two DP World Tour wins and now Major Championship golf to look forward to as well.

Strydom goes into this week’s Sunshine Tour season-ending Tour Championship at Serengeti Estates as the top-ranked golfer on the Tour’s Luno Order of Merit. He cannot be caught this week so will end the season in first place.

This brings with it Major incentives for Strydom, including a place in The Open at Royal Liverpool as well as the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill, the latter coming via the Federation Ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking.

“I’m into two Majors at the moment, and I’m also hoping to get into the US Open through my ranking on the DP World Tour. So that could be three Majors this year, which would be a first for me. It’s challenging and exciting at the same time,” said Strydom.

“I’m trying not to approach anything differently. It definitely sounds nice to say I’m playing in Majors, and it’s a word that changes the mindset. But I’ll try and approach them as just another golf tournament where I have the opportunity to play against the best players in the world.”

Strydom’s first place on the final Luno Order of Merit will also secure him a spot in the Nedbank Golf Challenge later this year.

So it’s a rewarding week for Strydom, and on a golf course that always brings out the best in his game.

“It’s nice to be back here to finish off the Sunshine Tour season. I always play well on this course. I’m a more experienced golfer this year as well so hopefully it’s another good week for me.”

The field this week includes Casey Jarvis, who should wrap-up the Rookie of the Year award.

“That was one of my goals at the beginning of the year and I’m proud to have achieved it. I’ve only been a pro for about seven months and I’ve learned so much out here. I’m very happy with my first season,” he said. – Michael Vlismas

The rewards for a season of consistent performance await the top 50 available professionals on the Sunshine Tour this week as they gather at Serengeti Estates for the season-ending Tour Championship, and with a shot at a place in some of world golf’s biggest tournaments to play for.

The R2-million tournament not only rewards the leading professionals on the Tour but also offers a range of local and international exemptions.

The winner of the Tour Championship will receive a two-year exemption on the Sunshine Tour.

The leading golfer on the Sunshine Tour’s final Luno Order of Merit for the season will earn a place in two of the four Majors – the 151^st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and, via the Federation Ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking, the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill – as well as in the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

The top three professionals on the final Luno Order of Merit will also earn DP World Tour cards for the new season, as well as R500 000 in Bitcoin (first place), R200 000 in Bitcoin (second place) and R100 000 in Bitcoin (third place).

“There is plenty to play for at the Tour Championship, which is a worthy reward for the consistency shown by these professionals over the season. We’re grateful for the support from Serengeti Estates and their shared commitment to reward the excellence and consistency of our leading professionals,” said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour.

Serengeti Estates has established itself as a popular Sunshine Tour venue with its Jack Nicklaus Signature Designed championship golf course and other world-class golf facilities such as the Whistling Thorn 18-Hole Par-3 golf course, ample practice facilities and a golf academy. January’s launch of the new Shamrock Putting Complex has also added significantly to their vision of being the most complete golf experience.

“This fifth edition of the Tour Championship promises to be the best one yet. We at Serengeti look forward to graciously hosting the players and our guests at this unique event and are delighted to be associated with the Tour, where greatness truly begins,” said Dino De Abreu, Chief Operating Officer of Serengeti Golf Club.

The Serengeti Golf Club experience has caught the eye of some of the Sunshine Tour’s top professionals, many of whom are based at Serengeti Estates, including PGA Tour campaigner Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

Another Serengeti Estates resident, Tristen Strydom, made his professional breakthrough on the Sunshine Tour when he won this tournament in record fashion last season. Strydom’s six-shot victory was the largest margin of victory in the history of the Tour Championship. Strydom also claimed the record for the lowest winning total in the history of the Tour Championship on 21-under-par 267, surpassing the previous record of 19-under-par 269 by Garrick Higgo in 2020.

“I feel comfortable with the golf course and it’s just such a nice environment to compete in,” said Strydom.

DAINFERN, Johannesburg – When it comes to a Players Championship, there could not have been a more popular winner of the Stella Artois Players Championship amongst all his peers than Kyle Barker.

The man with the biggest smile on the Sunshine Tour had even more reason to do so as Barker claimed his maiden victory on the circuit at Dainfern Country Club on Sunday.

A week of incredible scoring saw Barker sign off with a 61 to win on 30 under par. He finished six shots clear of second-placed Peter Karmis, who closed with a 64, and Casey Jarvis, who signed for a final round of 68.

Karmis and Jarvis sharing second place alongside each other was another special moment as they also share the lowest round in Sunshine Tour history of 59. Karmis shot his 59 in 2009 and Jarvis equaled that this week in the third round of this tournament.

But the biggest smile and applause belonged to the ever-popular Barker.

“Thank you so much guys. Honestly, this feels like a dream right now. To all the supporters out there and everyone that came, it was just amazing. Thank you so much,” said Barker.

Barker was three shots off the overnight lead and then stormed through the field with the kind of free-flowing golf he’s known for, making six birdies on the front nine and then five on the second nine.

“My mindset was key out there today. I played carefree golf. I didn’t mind if I made a mistake, and if I did I bounced back immediately. My mindset was just so strong and my short game was also very good out there. The greens were superb. I’m just so proud of myself for doing this.”

In a week of memorable moments, Barker said his six iron into the par-five 18^th green would stand out as his favourite.

“I’ve never felt my hands shake so much in my life but I’m just glad it came out of the middle of the clubface and finished in the middle of the green, and the two-putt to win was awesome. I’m just so thankful to my family and my fiancé, Savannah, for their support.”

And one of the most popular players on the Sunshine Tour paid tribute to his fellow players as well.

“I also want to thank my best pals – my travel buddies. There have been a lot of ups and downs this year, but I really want to thank them. It’s been amazing and I look forward to our future memories to come.” – Michael Vlismas

DAINFERN, Johannesburg – Casey Jarvis shot a 59 to equal the lowest tournament round in Sunshine Tour history in Saturday’s third round of the Stella Artois Players Championship at Dainfern Country Club and which puts him two shots behind tournament leader Luca Filippi.

It was another day of the most incredible scoring in a tournament that has already delivered some world-class golf.

Jarvis tapped in for par on 18 for his 59 on Saturday to equal the 59 shot by Peter Karmis in the 2009 Lombard Insurance Classic on the Royal Swazi Spa Golf Course in eSwatini.

It lifted him to tied second with Lyle Rowe on 20 under par, with Filippi scoring 29 on the back nine for a 66 that earned him the sole lead on 22 under par.

But 19-year-old Jarvis stole the show with his record-equaling round.

“I definitely didn’t wake up this morning thinking about a 59. I haven’t been playing well leading up to this round but everything just went for me today. You get out there and the putts just start dropping,” said Jarvis.

The putts started dropping for him as early as the second hole where he made his first birdie of the day. It started a run of seven consecutive birdies for a front nine of 29. Then Jarvis added two birdies and two eagles on the back nine for a 30.

“I hit some good quality shots and rolled in a lot of good putts. The putt on seven was quite long and when that went in I knew it was going to be something quite special,” said Jarvis.

“The eagle on the 17^th was really big. I stood on the 18^th tee with 59 in my mind. I hit a bad drive but got it done. It’s so tough to do.”

Filippi was delighted with his own performance, and particular the work he’s been doing on staying in the moment and not being sidetracked by what is going on around him. Saturday was certainly a good day to put that to the test.

“I think I did a great job of staying patient and in the present with all the birdies out there. I’m very pleased with the way I’ve played this week and I’ll give it my all in the final round. Casey’s 59 was incredible golf and it will be a good battle with him on the final day. But I’m really comfortable with the position I’m in at the moment.”

Between Jarvis’ record-equaling golf and Filippi shooting his second consecutive 29 over nine holes in this tournament, Daniel van Tonder also added to a day of thrilling golf with his hole-in-one on the par-three 16^th, earning himself R200 000 from sponsor Stella Artois. – Michael Vlismas

DAINFERN, Johannesburg – The low scoring continued in the second round of the Stella Artois Players Championship at Dainfern Country Club on Friday as South Africa’s Luca Filippi posted his first 29 over nine holes in a tournament for a 64 and American Dan Erickson signed for a 62 to see them share the lead on 16 under par going into the weekend.

They are two strokes clear of Darren Fichardt, Lyle Rowe, Tristen Strydom, Luke Jerling and Jovan Rebula after 36 holes in which the halfway cut fell at five under par.

Erickson carded two eagles during his round, while Filippi turned one under for the round and then lit up his second nine.

“It was just a magical nine. I had a six-metre putt on the last hole to break 30 and it was an unreal feeling to get that first 29 in a tournament,” said Filippi, who has been showing signs of this kind of performance.

“I’ve been playing some great golf recently and come close so many times now, so I’m really looking forward to what unfolds on the weekend. I’ve been getting more comfortable in high pressure situations and understanding what your body does under pressure. I’ve been working hard with a psychologist and we talk a lot about staying in the moment, and that’s been a real switch for me. It’s just about feeling comfortable and knowing what kind of shot shape I hit under the gun.”

Filippi identified the par fives as the key to scoring at Dainfern, and co-leader Erickson felt exactly the same.

“They’re lighting it up out here. It’s crazy how low the scores have been. I don’t find that the golf course is really set up that easy. I think it’s just the fact that the par fives are reachable, so you can really take advantage of those. I had eagle looks on all the par fives today and made two of them.”

Much like Filippi, Erickson is also doing his best to stay in the present on a golf course where it can feel like you are losing ground if you’re not making a handful of birdies.

“That’s where I can go wrong on golf courses like this where the scores are really low. I try to force birdies, and it would be better for me to just try to stay patient and let the birdies come. Patience and just sticking to the gameplan will be the biggest key for me for the weekend. I’ve done a good job of not feeling like I had to shoot a low score the past few days.” – Michael Vlismas

DAINFERN, Johannesburg – Darren Fichardt signed off with a birdie and an eagle for a round of 10-under-par 62 to lead the first round of the Stella Artois Players Championship by a single stroke at Dainfern Country Club on Thursday.

On a day of low scores Fichardt had to produce his bit of the magic in the windier afternoon conditions. He started his round with two straight birdies, made four consecutive birdies to the turn, added another at the par-five 12^th and then took the lead with his birdie-eagle finish. Tristen Strydom led for most of the day with his opening 63 before Fichardt’s 62.

“It was quite windy in the afternoon, but the greens are so good that if you hit a good putt it goes in. The greens are really primed for low scoring,” said Fichardt.

The experienced Sunshine Tour professional admits his game hasn’t been at the standard he wants this year. But rounds such as this one, and a previous 62 in the third round of the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open in February, certainly give him the confidence that what he’s working on is close to paying off.

“I haven’t been playing that well this year, but I’ve been working really hard. I’ve been trying to find the secret to a few things in my game, and today was a good indication that I’m almost there. I’ve almost got it sorted out, and I can look forward to some good rounds ahead.”

It was one of those rounds where Fichardt knew from the start that something special was on the cards.

“I’ve played Dainfern a few times in my life. It’s a traditional golf course, which is nice. You don’t have to try and overpower the golf course. It’s more positional play off the tee. I started the round with a good tee shot and almost hit it in the hole with my second shot. I made a birdie there and then a solid birdie on the next hole and that was already a good start. The wind was blowing so my idea was just to hang in there. Then I managed to sneak in a few more birdies and before I knew it I was six under after nine, so that was nice.”

Behind him, Strydom also felt comfortable in a tournament where he finished third last year, and at a time of the year when he always seems to play well. After his third-place finish in this event last year he went on to win his first Sunshine Tour title in the season-ending Tour Championship a week later.

“I’ve struggled with my game of late but I always seem to play well towards the end of March and beginning of April. It’s nice to feel like I’m getting out of the struggle and enjoying golf again and competing. When you enjoy it you end up playing really well,” he said. – Michael Vlismas

DAINFERN, Johannesburg – The race to the end of the Sunshine Tour’s current season intensifies this week with the R2 million Stella Artois Players Championship at Dainfern Country Club which has drawn a strong field including four Investec South African Open champions and the young stars who are locked in a battle for the Rookie of the Year title.

The Stella Artois Players Championship is the penultimate tournament of the Sunshine Tour’s current season. The 72-hole tournament, which tees off at Dainfern on Thursday, will have reigning Investec South African Open champion Thriston Lawrence in the field as well as former national Open winners Brandon Stone, Hennie Otto and Daniel van Tonder.

Lawrence also leads a stellar threeball for the first two rounds of this event including rising Sunshine Tour stars Casey Jarvis and Martin Vorster.

Both Jarvis and Vorster have been in impressive form this season and have been battling it out for Rookie of the Year honours. It’s a race that Jarvis is currently leading following his strong recent performances of tied ninth in the Dimension Data Pro-Am and second in the SDC Open. Vorster remains his nearest challenger in second place, with Ryan van Velzen in third place after breaking through with his maiden Sunshine Tour title in the Limpopo Championship.

There is also a tantalising mix of players in good form at present who will be in action at Dainfern.

Luca Filippi heads into this week off the back of a tied second-place finish in the Limpopo Championship. Franklin Manchest achieved his highest finish on the Sunshine Tour in the same event with a tie for 10^th. Hennie O’Kennedy has finished in the top 20 in five of his last seven tournaments, including third in the Dimension Data Pro-Am. And Yurav Premall has made a solid start to his Sunshine Tour career with finishes of tied ninth in the Dimension Data Pro-Am and tied fifth in March’s Mediclinic Invitational.

MOOKGOPHONG, Limpopo – Ryan van Velzen claimed his maiden victory on the Sunshine Tour in a dramatic final round of the Limpopo Championship at the Euphoria Golf and Lifestyle Estate on Sunday.

At the end of a difficult week of weather delays which forced the tournament to be reduced to 54 holes, the 21-year-old Van Velzen signed for a final round of 68 to win by a single stroke on 12 under par. Jaco Prinsloo, Luca Filippi and Daniel van Tonder shared second place on 11 under par. Former South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) member Franklin Manchest achieved an impressive top 10 finish on seven under par.

A thrilling Sunday began with the suspended second round being completed on Sunday morning. Prinsloo posted a 67 – including four consecutive birdies on the back nine – to claim a two-stroke lead on 11 under par, with Neil Schietekat his nearest challenger on nine under par. Van Velzen was in a share of third place on eight under par.

In the third and final round, Prinsloo appeared to be well in control and headed for victory as he birdied the 16^th for a one-stroke lead over Van Velzen with only the par-five 18^th to come. Van Velzen had already made it into the clubhouse on 12 under.

But Prinsloo double bogeyed the 18^th after hitting his approach deep into the left rough, with Van Velzen watching as he celebrated his first victory on the Sunshine Tour.

“It’s incredible. It’s awesome,” said an emotional Van Velzen. “This changes everything for me. I’m now into every single Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournament next season.”

Van Velzen’s putter was the key for him this week. “I’ve been working really hard and I holed some good putts. I also stayed really calm during all the weather disruptions. My caddie Luke was such a big help for me. He kept me in a good space and we just had a good time out there. I’d set myself a target for 15 under overall. I didn’t get there, but I played unbelievable golf this whole week and had so much fun out there.” – Michael Vlismas

MOOKGOPHONG, Limpopo – In a Limpopo Championship week of weather suspensions, a waterlogged golf course, a tournament reduced to 54 holes, and three days to play two rounds of golf, Neil Schietekat has actually felt more in control of his game than before.

When darkness fell on Saturday with the second round of this tournament still to be completed, Schietekat was already safely in the clubhouse in the lead with a 36-hole total of nine under par.

After Thursday’s weather suspension then no play on Friday because of heavy rain and a waterlogged golf course, Saturday finally saw the completion of the first round. Schietekat finished off his first round in a share of the lead alongside Jaco Prinsloo and Jacques Blaauw with a six-under-par 66.

The second started thereafter and Schietekat earned himself the sole clubhouse lead on nine under with a round of 69. The second round couldn’t be completed before darkness and will resume on Sunday morning before the shotgun start of the third and final round.

“The stop-start is a bit irritating but there is nothing you can do about it,” said Schietekat. But he’s managed it superbly and is bogey free after two rounds. That alone has given him the satisfaction of knowing that what he’s been working on is now starting to pay off.

“I started off the year really badly. I was missing cuts on the Sunshine Tour and in Asia, and I’m not used to missing cuts. I was in a dark hole and I needed to step back and re-evaluate what I’m doing. I really needed to make a couple of changes,” he said.

“I changed coaches and I started seeing a sports psychologist, and it feels really good. I started seeing some results during the recent DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournaments in South Africa and I feel like I know what I’m doing now again.”

Behind him, Hennie du Plessis is once again well placed just one shot back following rounds of 67 and 69. Du Plessis has twice finished runner-up in this tournament.

Christiaan Burke and Ryan van Velzen also managed to finish their second rounds to join Du Plessis on eight under overall.

Jaco Prinsloo is currently six under for the tournament through seven holes of his second round. – Michael Vlismas

MOOKGOPHONG, Limpopo – The Limpopo Championship was hit with severe weather on Friday which prevented the resumption of the suspended first round at the Euphoria Golf and Lifestyle Estate, and with play eventually called off for the day.

The first round had to be suspended on Thursday as a result of dangerous weather conditions. Jaco Prinsloo and Jacques Blaauw shared the clubhouse lead with their rounds of six-under-par 66. Wynand Dingle was two strokes back following his 68. Neil Schietekat and Keenan Davidse were also both on four under par through 12 holes when play was called off because of poor light.

Play was scheduled to resume at 7:40am on Friday, but a threat of lightning prevented this restart. Then persistent rainfall rendered the golf course unplayable, and with five hours required for the golf course maintenance team to prepare the course if and when it stopped raining, the decision was made to call off play for the day.

The first round will now resume at 7:30am on Saturday, with the second round scheduled to start at 9:05am. – Michael Vlismas