Author: Michael Vlismas

GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – Swede Björn Åkesson made a fairytale comeback to the game when he won the NMB Championship at Humewood Golf Club on Sunday.

Åkesson was declared the winner after three rounds which he led by a single stroke on 18 under par. The fourth and final round had to be cancelled due to high winds, with the tournament decided over 54 holes.

It was a dream result for the Swede who retired from golf in 2017 after losing his DP World Tour card, and then returned to the Challenge Tour this year.

“It feels amazing. This is my first win on the Challenge Tour and it hasn’t really sunk in yet. It means a lot to me,” he said.

“To get my first win on the Challenge Tour will certainly give me more confidence on the golf course.”

Åkesson started the tournament with a brilliant 63, but the key to his victory was undoubtedly the following two rounds of 67 and 68 which he played in incredibly difficult conditions at Humewood. They proved vital as Saturday’s play was delayed until just after 2pm because of high winds, and then the final round had to be called off on Sunday.

“It was very windy on Friday afternoon. It was tough conditions and I played really well. But I think the hole I am most proud of is the 54^th hole. I pulled a driver left, found it in the bush, dropped, laid up to 79 metres and then hit that to two metres and made the putt. That meant the most to me because I wasn’t feeling very good at the time.

“But I just kept playing shot by shot. It was tough. But I’ve always been quite good in these tricky conditions. I don’t enjoy it but I’m good at it.”

England’s Lee Slattery took second place on 17 under par with rounds of 65, 67 and 67. Australia’s Hayden Hopewell was third on 16 under par with rounds of 63, 69 and 68.

The leading South African was Jaco Prinsloo on 13 under par, which secured him a share of sixth place.

This was the final tournament on the Sunshine Tour and Challenge Tour swing, with Åkesson praising the South African run of tournaments.

“The Challenge Tour and Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned events are very good because they give us the opportunity to play when it’s cold in Europe.”

GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – Humewood’s famous wind took its time arriving for this year’s NMB Championship, but when it did, it arrived with a vengeance on Saturday.

The start of the third round of this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned event was delayed for the majority of the day as strong winds buffeted this famous South African links course.

The golfers spent most of the day in the clubhouse, and the first opportunity to start the round came as late as 14:15.

When darkness finally forced another suspension of play at 19:10, the leaderboard had Australia’s Hayden Hopewell, England’s Lee Slattery and Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell tied for the lead on 15 under par, and still on their front nine.

Frenchman Martin Couvra and Swede Bjorn Akesson ended the day on 14 under par, also still on the front nine.

The third round will resume at 07:00 on Sunday morning.

GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – An emotional Keenan Davidse has dealt with the loss of two people he was very close to and said it has fuelled the golf he’s played to claim a share of the lead going into the weekend of the NMB Championship at Humewood Golf Club.

Davidse signed for a second round of 66 on Friday to share the lead with Swede Bjorn Akesson on 14 under par. Akesson signed for a second round of 67.

They are one stroke clear of Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell following his 65, while South Africa’s Jaco Prinsloo, England’s Lee Slattery and Frenchman Martin Couvra are all on 12 under par.

Davidse played solid golf on Friday without dropping any shots but said it’s been an emotional week for him.

“I’m quite emotional this week. My coach Arnold Mentz passed away two days ago and my aunt who I was very close to also passed away. I have two special angels looking over me this week and that’s my motivation. I’ve been struggling and I’m just using that as fuel at the moment,” he said.

He also took advantage of a favourable draw as the benign conditions continued at Humewood.

“The conditions were good in the morning. It was only the last five or six holes where it became a bit windy. Humewood is known for its wind and it can get brutal out here so if the wind does come on the weekend it will be interesting. But you can’t predict anything here. I’m leading the tournament, but anything can happen here,” he said.

Yet it’s precisely the unpredictability of links golf that Davidse enjoys.

“Links golf is tough and you need a little bit of luck,” he said of his chip-in for birdie on the eighth. “But I enjoy it. I like hitting it low in the wind. I enjoy the creativity. You can hit a few off-shots and get lucky with the slopes. You just need to avoid the bunkers on a links course.” – Michael Vlismas.

GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – It was a day of firsts for Frenchman Martin Couvra as he played the famous Humewood links for the first time and made three eagles in one round for the first time on his way to leading the first round of the NMB Championship on Thursday.

Couvra took advantage of the largely benign conditions when he teed off and posted an 11-under-par 61 to lead this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour event by two strokes.

South Africa’s Neil Schietekat as well as Swede Bjorn Akesson and Australian Hayden Hopewell are his nearest challengers following their opening rounds of nine under.

Couvra is no stranger to golf success in South Africa. The young Frenchman made history when he became the first player to win the South African Stroke Play Championship, the Proudfoot Trophy (the 36-hole qualifying tournament for the SA Stroke Play), and the South African Amateur Championship in full regulation play in the same year, claiming the triple crown of South African amateur golf in 2023.

He was in the same dominant mood on Thursday as he signed for a round of five birdies and three eagles, including back-to-back eagles on the 15^th and 16^th holes.

“It was just perfect today. I played really well. I’m very happy to have this round in the book. It was just amazing. I’ve never had three eagles in the same round,” he said.

Couvra has looked in good form in South Africa with his finishes of tied 12^th in December’s Investec South African Open and then tied sixth in the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open earlier this month.

And he certainly enjoyed his first competitive round on Humewood.

“I like links courses and this one is perfect. It changes quite a bit with the different winds here. I didn’t have too much wind though. The conditions were perfect.”

Behind him, Schietekat also admitted the wind was forgiving enough to allow him to take advantage on a layout he is equally fond of.

“It was pretty good. A couple of putts went in and it was a good day. I believe the wind is coming though so that will be fun and games. But I do enjoy this golf course. You’ve got to play different shots and run a lot of them on the ground. This is an amazing golf course. It plays like a true links and I’ve always enjoyed coming back here.” – Michael Vlismas.

GQEBERHA, Eastern Cape – A few weeks ago a young disadvantaged golfer from the ganglands of the Cape was asked who his golf hero was. “Robin Williams,” he said. When the Sunshine Tour professional heard this, he was speechless.

“Wow. That’s inspired me so much,” said Williams, who heads into this week’s NMB Championship on the Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour with the chance to continue inspiring a new generation of South African golfers.

Williams is currently ranked 11^th on the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca Rankings, thanks largely to his third-place finish in last week’s Dimension Data Pro-Am. That puts him well within the top 20, and if he remains there by the end of this Challenge Tour season he will earn promotion to the DP World Tour.

It’s the goal of the majority of Sunshine Tour professionals competing at Humewood Golf Club this week, and certainly the next step for Williams who is already a winner on the Sunshine Tour.

He showed his ability to compete against the world’s best when he led the first round of December’s Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.

“I’ve got the game to win out here and compete. It’s also about learning to handle my emotions and not just my game in the bigger events,” he said.

There’s a similar sense of expectation this week for Dylan Naidoo and Louis Albertse as they seek to build on their solid campaigns during this Sunshine Tour and Challenge Tour co-sanctioned swing, with the NMB Championship the final tournament of this stretch.

Naidoo has finished fourth and 15^th in two of the last three tournaments and is currently eighth on the road to Mallorca Rankings.

Albertse has been incredibly consistent with finishes of 16^th, third and 15^th in the three previous tournaments that places him in fifth position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings. – Michael Vlismas.

GEORGE, Western Cape – Frenchman David Ravetto claimed his maiden victory on both the Sunshine Tour and the European Challenge Tour when he won the Dimension Data Pro-Am by two strokes at Fancourt on Sunday.

Ravetto took a two-shot lead into the final round on the Montagu course, and two birdies in his opening three holes and then another two birdies in three holes over the turn kept him beyond reach of the field as he closed with a 69 to finish on 15 under par.

“It feels amazing. I’m really proud of myself with how I played. The last six months haven’t been easy for me and I’m super happy,” said Ravetto.

Remarkably, Ravetto is the first French winner of one of South Africa’s longest-standing pro-am tournaments dating back to 1996.

“The key for me this week was just to play solid golf and try to hit as many good shots as I can. I did that today. Today was windy and the pins were tough. I’m happy I didn’t panic. I made a few early birdies and then just tried to play solid golf thereafter,” he said.

England’s Sam Hutsby did his best to catch Ravetto on the final day. When the Frenchman bogeyed the 13^th Hutsby had closed to within one shot of him. But Hutsby’s double-bogey on 17 ended his charge as he signed for a 68 and second place on 13 under par.

South Africans Hennie du Plessis and Robin Williams as well as Spain’s Victor Pastor shared third place on 11 under par.

Ravetto admits that the victory has changed his plans somewhat as he now looks to a year of even greater opportunities.

“This will definitely change my planning a bit. I think I’ll still play the DP World Tour a bit, but this proves to me that I’m good enough to win out here. It’s always nice in South Africa as well. The people are so friendly and the courses are in great condition. The three golf courses here at Fancourt are just amazing.” – Michael Vlismas.

GEORGE, Western Cape – Frenchman David Ravetto will take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt, and with South Africa’s Franklin Manchest chasing a possibly career-defining Sunday for himself.

Ravetto held onto his lead as he signed for a 71 on the challenging Links golf course on Saturday, climbing to 12 under par overall in this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned tournament.

He is two strokes clear of Manchest who posted his best ever round on the Links of 67. France’s Pierre Pineau and Benjamin Hebert as well as England’s Sam Hutsby are all on nine under par. Pineau signed for a 72 at the Links while Hebert posted a 66 at the Montagu and Hutsby added his 71 on the Links.

In a surprising twist, three of the leading four professionals came from the Links and not, as expected, either the Outeniqua or Montagu courses as the other two possibly more forgiving layouts used for this tournament.

“The Links is the toughest of the three courses here and the pins were also tricky so I knew I had to hit good shots and be patient. I’m pretty happy with my work right now,” said Ravetto.

“On the Links you just need to hang in there and be patient. It’s a really good test of golf.”

Behind him, Manchest worked his way into contention on a golf course he knows well having grown up in George.

“I feel really comfortable here. I had to keep the nerves in tact a bit though. After a solid round in Friday’s bad weather I knew I had a chance and just told myself to keep my head down and go for it. It’s special to shoot a 67 here at the Links, which is my lowest ever score on this course. My putter really delivered today,” he said. – Michael Vlismas.

GEORGE, Western Cape – Frenchman David Ravetto birdied the last for an impressive 66 on a day dominated by wind and rain to lead the Dimension Data Pro-Am by a single stroke going into the weekend at Fancourt.

Ravetto used every bit of the good fortune the draw allowed him in playing the more forgiving Outeniqua course on an incredibly challenging day as he climbed to 10 under par overall.

“It was a good day under the conditions. I’m really happy. I had a good draw playing Outeniqua but I still played really solid golf. I made six birdies and an eagle so it was a really nice round,” he said.

His nearest challenger is South Africa’s Louis Albertse on nine under following a 66 of his own on the Outeniqua.

And countryman Zander Lombard has positioned himself very well as he heads into the weekend just two shots off the lead – alongside Frenchman Pierre Pineau – after also posting a 66 on the Outeniqua.

“It was super tough out there. I think the gusts were up to 70km/h at least and it was absolutely pouring down. The rain sort of came and went but when it came, all of it was coming. It was brutal, and all-in-all in these conditions I’m very happy with my score. I’m happy with my game, the confidence is up, I’ve got no weaknesses so hopefully I can carry it into the weekend,” said Lombard.

The weather and the deluge of rain that fell throughout the day made for a long round for some in the field, especially those who had to also contend with the challenging Links course in their second round as part of the tournament’s format to rotate between Fancourt’s three courses.

Bryce Easton, the leader by two after the first round, was one of those to suffer as he signed for an 80 on the Links to drop to two under par overall.

Defending champion Oliver Bekker suffered a similar score and fate on the Links, ending the day on two over for the tournament.

Knowing exactly what to expect, Ravetto had a simple strategy for his round.

“I knew the conditions were going to be tough so when I arrived I said to myself just hang in there because you’re playing the easier of the three courses here, so just try make a couple of birdies and you’ll be fine at the end of the day.

“There was water on the greens and the course was a lot softer, but it also enabled us to be a lot more aggressive to the pins. The course staff did a really good job of getting the water off the greens and it was actually pretty good conditions for putting.” – Michael Vlismas.

GEORGE, Western Cape – Something had to give, and for Bryce Easton it was his putter. After months of playing what he felt was his best golf but not getting the results, Easton switched to a broomstick putter. The result was a 63 to lead Thursday’s first round of the Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt.

Playing the Outeniqua course in this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned tournament, Easton’s round of nine under par earned him a two-stroke lead over Frenchman Benjamin Hebert before the afternoon field struggled through difficult conditions of wind and rain.

“I’ve never gone super low on Outeniqua so that was nice,” said Easton, who will face The Links on Friday as part of the tournament’s rotation between the three Fancourt courses of the Outeniqua, Montagu and Links.

“I’ve found myself in a really strange space where I’ve been knocking on the door and playing good golf and have been close to some of my best ever golf technically, but the results just haven’t been there. My putting cost me a lot of shots on the DP World Tour last season and I lost my card there.

“So I’ve made a switch to the broomstick putter. I’ve been picking the brains of a few golfers on Tour who use it well. I’m just trying to learn how to use it. It’s a totally different method and it’s felt progressively better. But it has taken time. I made the switch knowing that other players who have done so have been really successful with it. Not making putts and shooting level par doesn’t get you anywhere out here, so it’s nice to knock a few putts in and convert the chances I’ve been giving myself.”

Behind him, Hebert certainly looked comfortable with his putting as he started his round with consecutive birdies and then went into Outeniqua’s back nine with two birdies and an eagle in his first three holes on his way to a 65.

“I didn’t expect anything because I never had a practice round on Outeniqua. But I played well and had a great start. It was a perfect day,” he said.

Both Easton and Hebert are cautiously optimistic of their starts in this event, with Friday’s weather expected to test the field again.

“I’ve heard the horror stories about the weather on Friday and I’m playing the Links, which is not ideal. But all I can do is play what’s in front of me,” said Easton.

Hebert has a similar philosophy. “There is a lot of golf to play, with two more different golf courses and the weather looking tough. But we’ll see.”

South Africa’s Luca Filippi, Stefan Wears-Taylor, Jacques Blaauw and Daniel van Tonder as well as Spain’s Victor Pastor will start the second round on six under par, while defending champion Oliver Bekker is four shots off the lead. – Michael Vlismas.