Author: Michael Vlismas

GEORGE, Western Cape – MJ Daffue eagled the last to claim an emotional victory in the NTT DATA Pro-Am brought to you by Standard Bank at Fancourt on Sunday.

The South African closed with a 69 to win a tense final round on 16 under par 200.

Ireland’s Max Kennedy, American Hunter Logan, South Africa’s Bryce Easton and Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent all took second place on 12 under par.

It was a remarkable victory for Daffue, who returned to South Africa recently to play his way back into form after a frustrating past two years of injuries and surgeries.

“I’ve always dreamt of having my son run onto the 18^th green after a win, and to be honest there was a time when I wondered if it would ever happen. But today it did,” said an emotional Daffue, who was playing on an invitation in this event.

Equally significant is that this victory earns him a place in the upcoming Investec South African Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club in two weeks’ time, which he wasn’t exempt for until this victory. – Michael Vlismas

GEORGE, Western Cape – Fancourt holds some special memories for Ernie Els. In 2003 he stared down Tiger Woods in an epic Presidents Cup playoff at The Links. Neither of them blinked, and eventually darkness had the final say and the Cup was shared. He also launched his foundation at Fancourt. On Saturday, Els added another special memory.

When darkness brought an end to an incomplete second round of the NTT DATA Men’s Pro-Am brought to you by Standard Bank, the 56-year-old South African settled into a glass of red wine having played his way to just five shots off the lead held by MJ Daffue. Daffue climbed to 13 under par overall with his sublime 64 on the Outeniqua course.

South Africa’s Deon Germishuys and American Hunter Logan finished their rounds on 11 under, while Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith is also 11 under through nine holes.

Rain on Saturday morning meant the start of the round was delayed to 11:30am. The second round will be completed on Sunday morning before the start of the final round.

But on an overcast day at Fancourt, Els certainly brought the silver lining with a round of golf that had the Fancourt residents streaming out of their homes and onto the fairways of the Montagu course he was playing.

At one stage he was seven under through 11 holes. Even though he made back-to-back bogeys on the back nine, it was a round that has given him an outside chance for Sunday.

“I really had it going at one point there and I was looking at something special. I think I ran out of steam. But listen, I’ll be around for the final day and if I get another run like that, I’d love to finish it off with something nice,” said Els.

“It was great out there. A lot of people were coming out of their homes to watch, and a lot of my friends who I play with here. We had a good time out there. I won here in 1993, believe it or not. That’s how far back I go at Fancourt. There are many great memories for me here. So I’m looking forward to keep chipping away at my game and get it really sharp for the Investec South African Open.”

At the top of the leaderboard, Daffue is just as eager to finish off strong on Sunday, and also with an eye on the Investec South African Open in two weeks’ time.

“My game feels close. This is my lowest round in a while and coming off the surgeries I’ve had. I am not in the Investec SA Open at present. But if I go and take care of business on Sunday and it’s my time and I win, then that will get me in.” – Michael Vlismas

GEORGE, Western Cape – With one day of the NTT DATA Men’s Pro-Am having been lost to the weather, Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith was clearly determined to make up for lost time as he raced around Fancourt’s Outeniqua layout in 60 to take the lead in this Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour event.

Follett-Smith did not drop a single shot during an incredible round of 12 under, which also included a second nine of 29. He leads by three strokes over South Africa’s JJ Senekal, who made his 63 on the Outeniqua course. South African Gerhard Pepler and Ireland’s Max Kennedy are currently third following their rounds of seven under 65, having also played Outeniqua. Ernie Els signed for an opening 69 on the Outeniqua.

“It’s my lowest on the Sunshine Tour for sure, and it’s tied my best score,” Follett-Smith said.

“Usually things go your way when you’re that low. I left a few putts short starting the round and figured out the greens are slower than what we’re used to here from all the rain. I got the hang of just pitching at the flag and taking advantage of how well I’m playing tee to green. I could be very aggressive from the fairway.”

It all came so easy for Follett-Smith that he even miscalculated his own score coming down the stretch of what was a very real shot at a 59.

“I honestly thought I was 11 under with the last hole to play. Unfortunately we added up wrong. So the 59 didn’t work out, but it’s okay because the whole day worked out in the end.”

The top three scores came from the Outeniqua, which traditionally is the more forgiving of Fancourt’s courses during this event.

“You want to take as much as you can from Outeniqua. Wilco (Nienaber) did that last year when he won so I took a page out of his book and luckily it worked out for me.”

It was an impressive start from a golfer who had all elements of his game ready to take advantage on Thursday.

“Tee to green is really good at the moment. My driver is really good and I’m getting exactly what I want out of it. Fade, draw or straight – it’s all on call at the moment, which is nice. And that becomes confidence on the greens. The five footers became inside rights and inside lefts, which worked out.” – Michael Vlismas

Masters champion, Patrick Reed, is excited and has confirmed that he will play in the Investec South African Open Championship at Stellenbosch Golf Club from 26 February to 1 March, 2026.
 
Reed will make his debut in golf’s second oldest national Open by virtue of his returning status on the DP World Tour, which co-sanctions this tournament with the Sunshine Tour.
 
“I’m really excited to make my first trip to South Africa. I have many friends from South Africa and I look forward to competing in their home country on the DP World Tour and in conjunction with the Sunshine Tour,” Reed said.
 
The current world number 17 adds to what will be one of the most significant weeks in world golf, with the 115^th Investec South African Open Championship offering a direct pathway into two of the game’s iconic Majors.
 
The winner of this year’s Investec South African Open Championship will earn an exemption to the 2026 Masters, while the top three finishers will earn a place in The 154^th Open at Royal Birkdale if not already exempt.
 
Reed heads to Stellenbosch as the most in-form golfer on the DP World Tour at present with two victories and a runner-up in three tournaments this year, a place at the top of the International Swing, and currently first on the Race to Dubai Rankings.
 
The Ryder Cup star will also seek to become the first American winner of the Investec South African Open in over three decades, with Fred Wadsworth the last American champion in 1989.
 
Reed strengthens a field that at present includes fellow Major winner and five-time Investec South African Open champion Ernie Els, Masters champion Charl Schwartzel as well as five of the last six Investec South African Open champions in defending champion Dylan Naidoo, Dean Burmester, Thriston Lawrence, Daniel van Tonder and Branden Grace.
 
Stellenbosch Golf Club will be a fitting venue for one of the most keenly anticipated Investec South African Opens in recent history, with the course having just completed a series of comprehensive changes that will make it a far from different test from when it last hosted the championship in 1999.
 
The golf course has been lengthened and will now play at 7 268 yards as a par 70.
 
A total of 15 tee boxes were upgraded, with 10 of these built new or reconstructed, and five resurfaced. All 44 bunkers on the course have also been upgraded, and more trees have been planted in strategic areas on several holes. The dam near the 18th green has also been enlarged to make for an even more spectacular finish and to enhance the strategy on this hole. – Michael Vlismas

GEORGE, Western Cape – A deluge of rain at Fancourt on Thursday has led to both the NTT DATA Men’s and Ladies’ Pro-Ams being shortened to 54 holes and 36 holes respectively.

Heavy rain prevented a single ball from being hit on what was meant to be the first round of the men’s Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour co-sanctioned tournament on Thursday. Following repeated delays to the start of the round, it was eventually called off at 12:14.

The men’s tournament is traditionally played over the three golf courses of The Links, Outeniqua and Montagu.

But with all three golf courses left waterlogged by Thursday’s rain, the tournament has been shortened to 54 holes. It will now be played solely over the Outeniqua and Montagu courses for the first two rounds, after which there will be a cut and the final round will be played solely on the Montagu.

The ladies’ tournament was scheduled to start on Friday and has now been shortened to 36 holes on Saturday and Sunday with no halfway cut, and to be played solely on The Links.

“It’s a tough decision to make to have to cancel any round of golf. We had 18mm of rain through the night, on top of the rain already had in this area. We had continual rain on Thursday. In consultation with the head greenkeeper it was felt the courses had gone too far for us to be able to play today. We have more rain forecast for Thursday evening and also Friday afternoon through the night into Saturday. So if we continued in the same course order of playing all three courses, if we had as much as a two-hour delay we wouldn’t be able to complete the tournament. So we agreed to change the format to accommodate this,” said Gary Butler, Tournament Director of the HotelPlanner Tour. – Michael Vlismas Media

Ernie Els has confirmed that he will play in the 115^th Investec South African Open Championship at Stellenbosch Golf Club from 26 February to 1 March, 2026, adding his name to a strong South African challenge.

Els, a five-time winner of the Investec South African Open, will join a local challenge that includes Charl Schwartzel, defending champion Dylan Naidoo, and former champions Dean Burmester, Thriston Lawrence, Daniel van Tonder and Branden Grace.

The multiple Major champion has been a dominant force in the Investec South African Open throughout his illustrious career.

Els claimed his first victory in his national Open in 1992, and won it again in 1996, 1998, 2006 and 2010. He has also finished runner-up in 1993, 1995 and 2005.

It will be a sentimental return to Stellenbosch for Els as the last time the Investec South African Open was played at Stellenbosch Golf Club in 1999 he was defending his title. His countryman David Frost won that year.

Els’ presence in this year’s field adds to what will be one of the most significant weeks in South African golf, with Major incentives on offer.

The winner of this year’s Investec South African Open Championship will earn an exemption to the 2026 Masters, while the top three finishers will earn a place in The 154^th Open at Royal Birkdale if not already exempt. – Michael Vlismas Media

• Major champion leads stellar field at Fancourt

• Defending champion Du Toit and young star Moodley headline NTT DATA Ladies’ Pro-Am brought to you by Standard Bank

GEORGE, Western Cape – Ernie Els will lead the cream of South African golf at the NTT DATA Men’s and Ladies’ Pro-Ams brought to you by Standard Bank at Fancourt from 12-15 February.

The four-time Major winner and former world number one has added his name to a stellar field for the men’s tournament, which is co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour.

“I have such wonderful memories of this tournament throughout my career, and I’m looking forward to playing in it again. They have been such a loyal and longstanding partner of the Sunshine Tour. The Sunshine Tour is where I started my career and I’ve always come back to play here whenever I can. It’s going to be great to see some old faces and a few of the youngsters on the Tour as well,” said Els.

Els will be joined in the field of one of the Sunshine Tour’s most historic tournaments by rising star Casey Jarvis, who won twice in three weeks on the Sunshine Tour this season, as well as defending champion Wilco Nienaber and a host of the Tour’s other recent champions and young stars.

With his dominant seven-shot victory last year, Nienaber joined an exclusive club of only four players to have won this title twice in its 31-year history, including Nick Price, Darren Fichardt and Oliver Bekker.

“I’m excited to return to Fancourt to try and defend my title. It’s a privilege to be one of the few multiple winners of such a prestigious tournament. I love Fancourt, and every single one of the golf courses there,” said Nienaber.

The NTT DATA Ladies’ Pro-Am brought to you by Standard Bank also boasts an impressive lineup, with Danielle du Toit back to defend her title after she beat Lee-Anne Pace in a playoff last year. Pace is also in the field as the most successful golfer in the history of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and a former champion of this tournament who also boasts three runners-up finishes.

And young star Kaiyuree Moodley, the winner of last season’s R&A Rookie of the Year on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, returns to a tournament where she made her professional debut.

“It was a dream to make my professional debut in this event last year, and to play at Fancourt. They have fantastic golf courses there. We also get to play with the Sunshine Tour professionals, and that in itself was a learning experience for me. I’m really excited to go back. Watching Danielle win it last year and what it did for her career, I remember thinking it would be amazing to win this tournament one day.”

The strength of both fields is confirmation of a week that will be a true celebration of golf excellence in a tournament that has in its 31-year history featured men’s champions including Major winners, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup stars, and former world number ones; and a ladies’ tournament that since 2014 has been a cornerstone of the Sunshine Ladies Tour.

The Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour professionals will compete for a total purse of R7 million over the three golf courses of the Montagu, Outeniqua and Links.

The Sunshine Ladies Tour professionals can look forward to an increased purse of R2.5 million as they compete on the Montagu and Outeniqua courses.

“The 2026 NTT DATA Pro-Am represents a meaningful opportunity for us to continue elevating the sport across Africa,” says Thembeka Ngugi, Head of Marketing, NTT DATA Middle East and Africa.

“This tournament brings together world‑class talent, inspiring young athletes and seasoned professionals alike, in an environment that celebrates excellence, diversity and community. Our partnership with Standard Bank strengthens this vision even further and together, we are creating opportunities, expanding access, and showcasing the transformative impact that sport and collaboration can have across the continent.”

“We are immensely proud to support the NTT DATA Pro‑Am series as the headline sponsor this year. As an organisation, we have an abiding belief in the power of sports to change lives for the better. Amongst other things, through this sponsorship, we aim to drive diversity, encourage inclusion, and support the aspirations of the talent participating. The increased prize money for the ladies’ tournament, along with the quality of participants across both fields, affirms this ambition. We hope this tournament will serve as a catalyst for future aspiring golfers of all genders and backgrounds,” says Steve Barnes, Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for South Africa at Standard Bank.

Both tournaments will also feature a showcase of sports stars and celebrities, with live coverage on SuperSport.

About NTT DATA

NTT DATA is a $30+ billion business and technology services leader, serving 75% of the Fortune Global 100. We are committed to accelerating client success and positively impacting society through responsible innovation. We are one of the world’s leading AI and digital infrastructure providers, with unmatched capabilities in enterprise-scale AI, cloud, security, connectivity, data centers and application services. Our consulting and industry solutions help organizations and society move confidently and sustainably into the digital future. As a Global Top Employer, we have experts in more than 70 countries. We also offer clients access to a robust ecosystem of innovation centers as well as established and start-up partners. NTT DATA is part of NTT Group, which invests over $3 billion each year in R&D. 

Visit us at nttdata.com

About Standard Bank

The Standard Bank Group is the largest African bank by assets, operating in 21 African countries, 4 global financial centres and 2 offshore hubs.

Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, we are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with share code SBK, and the Namibian Stock Exchange, share code SNB. Standard Bank has a 163-year history in South Africa and started building a franchise outside southern Africa in the early 1990s. Our strategic position, which enables us to connect Africa to other select emerging markets as well as pools of capital in developed markets, and our balanced portfolio of businesses, provide significant opportunities for growth.

As at 30 June 2025, Standard Bank Group had 19.2 million clients, employed over 50 000 people (including Liberty) and had over 1 180 points of representation and over 5 400 ATMs across the African continent. The group’s largest shareholder is the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world’s largest bank, with a 19.7% shareholding. In addition, Standard Bank Group and ICBC share a strategic partnership that facilitates trade and deal flow between Africa, China and select emerging markets.

For further information, go to http://www.standardbank.com
– Michael Vlismas Media

CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – As England’s Will Enefer signed the pin flags confirming his victory in the CIRCA Cape Town Open, it suddenly became real for him.

“I’ve never done this before. I can get used to it,” he said, having just beaten South Africa’s Hennie Otto in a playoff to win this Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour event at Royal Cape Golf Club on Sunday.

Enefer and Otto finished a windy final round tied for the lead on 14 under par. Both had played impressive golf on a day that had the most wind all week. Enefer climbed through the field with a 69 built around his five birdies in six holes over the turn. Otto signed for a closing 68 and didn’t drop a single shot on a challenging final day.

Playing the par-four 18^th again as the first playoff hole, Enefer hit a solid approach to 10 feet and holed the birdie putt to take the title. His caddie, Moeketsi Tsatsi, received the Sunshine Tour medallion for the winning caddie.

“I’m ecstatic. It’s great to get over the line. It’s been a long four days and I stayed patient out there, and luckily came away with the win,” he said.

Otto finished runner-up for the second time in this tournament, while Spain’s Santiago Tarrio finished third on 13 under par with a closing 74.

Enefer spent a season on the DP World Tour in 2024 and brought all of that experience to the playoff.

“Being out on the DP World Tour for a year taught me a lot. I came back to the HotelPlanner Tour determined to be more aggressive because I know how top heavy the points system is – you have to win out here to really push on. It’s nice to get a win early, and I’ll just try and push on from here,” he said as he continues his quest to regain a place on the DP World Tour.

“I got off to a rough start today and the wind was from a different direction. But I made some putts around the turn, and knew it was going to be tough coming in. I feel like I’ve got a decent pedigree out here and had a very solid season last year, so I was definitely looking to try and get one over the line. This week I just stuck to my gameplan and let it happen.” – Michael Vlismas

CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – Trevor Fisher Jnr. took another casual stroll around 18 holes at Royal Cape Golf Club on Saturday. He chipped in for eagle. He putted well. He signed for a 67. And he leads the CIRCA Cape Town Open by a single shot going into Sunday’s final round. It was the perfect example of how to make golf look easy.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it, which is not always easy with this game,” said the South African, who heads the field on 16 under par as he looks to end a decade-long win drought with a victory in this Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour event.

His nearest challenger is Spain’s Santiago Tarrio who posted a 65 for a total of 15 under par. Another Spaniard in Pablo Ereno is third on 12 under par after a 70.

But on Saturday, despite what was happening around him, Fisher Jnr. looked to be in his own world. And that’s exactly where he plans to stay.

“I felt relaxed out there and didn’t feel under pressure. If I was in trouble I managed to get out of it. I putted nicely and saved one or two shots with some nice up-and-downs. But I’m trying to take the pressure off myself and just play the game, and not have too many swing thoughts in my head.”

As a nine-time winner, the last of which was the DP World Tour co-sanctioned Africa Open in 2015, Fisher Jnr. has a wealth of experience for what Sunday’s final round will bring – including a healthy dose of Cape wind.

His short game has been sublime, highlighted by a chip-in for eagle on the par-four 12^th today.

“I’d made a naughty three-putt the hole before – my first this week. So I had a 25-metre chip and it spun a bit right and went in. That was nice.”

But it’s his new realisation of how he wants to approach the game going forward that has worked so well for him this week.

“This is not a perfect game. You just need to find a way to get the ball in the hole in the least amount of shots. I’m just trying to be very easy and chilled out there. So tomorrow we’ll take another casual stroll out there and see what happens. If we do it we do it. If we don’t, I’ll still be the same person on Monday.”

It’s a common theme amongst the leading contenders.

Behind him, Tarrio is taking the same approach.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve made scores like this. I was very relaxed. It’s been a tough last few years, so my focus is to enjoy it first, and the score comes after that.” – Michael Vlismas

CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – It’s been over a decade since South Africa’s Trevor Fisher Jnr. last won a title, and he heads into the weekend of the CIRCA Cape Town Open with a chance to end that wait at Royal Cape Golf Club.

Using a putter that was given to him by fellow professional Rupert Kaminsky, Fisher Jnr. signed for a 67 and the overall lead on 11 under par.

“I took Rupert’s putter on Tuesday and it’s been working unbelievably well. So sorry, Rupert, but you’re not getting it back,” said Fisher Jnr.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in this position. I think I need to get my hands on a trophy again. But I won’t be getting ahead of myself.”

His nearest challenger in this Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour event is Spain’s Pablo Ereno on 10 under following his second round of 68 on Friday.

On a day when Royal Cape started to play more to its true form with a constant wind, Fisher Jnr. teed off his round with successive birdies and was five under through his first eight holes. He played the next 10 holes in level par as a few bogeys crept in. But he was more than satisfied with a round that has given him a shot at a trophy again.

“I got off to a nice start today and was coasting. I hit one or two bad shots but that’s going to happen in the wind, which was tricky today. You don’t have to hit the ball perfectly to win a golf tournament. You’ve just got to manage yourself. I think there is still a low score out there,” said the former DP World Tour champion.

And he’s bringing a different mindset to the weekend.

“There are a lot of good players behind me. I’m just trying to enjoy myself. I’m just grateful to be in a position to chase this title. I haven’t done that for some time. But there is still a long way to go. I feel like I’m a bit more relaxed this week. I actually don’t care if I win or lose, which is a nice attitude to have. I think you can put yourself under too much pressure to try and win tournaments. You’ve just got to try and control what you can, enjoy yourself, walk easy out there and not put too much pressure on yourself to try and shoot a good score. Just play the game.”

Behind him, Spain’s Enero is enjoying being in contention in his first tournament in South Africa.

“I’m playing on an invitation this week so my aim is to just do my best to get some status on a tour this year because I don’t have any at the moment. It’s exciting to be in contention. This is why I play golf. I love the pressure. This is my first time in South Africa and I like the country a lot,” he said. – Michael Vlismas