Category: Featured News

SUN CITY, North West – Hennie du Plessis claimed a fairytale victory in the Sunshine Tour’s Blu Label Unlimited Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club on Saturday, marking an emotional comeback to the game after 18 months on the sidelines because of injury.

Du Plessis won with a total of 49 points, adding eight points on the final day, to claim his third Sunshine Tour title but his first since a team victory with Jean Hugo in 2018.

Anthony Michael took second place on 35 points while MJ Viljoen and Yurav Premlall shared third place on 33 points.

It was a significant moment in more ways than one for Du Plessis, who has battled his way back from wrist surgery and a few complications with his rehab. This was also his first victory since becoming a father.

“I think that’s why golf seems a little bit easier now. It’s harder to be a parent, I can tell you that. I’m only joking. It’s been a long time since my last win. This is a special one, it’s a special place. I’ve got my family here and it’s such a special moment,” said Du Plessis.

“I put in the work to get back here. This was sort of a warmup event to see where my game is at, and I’m very happy with the way I played, especially coming down the stretch. I had a few fumbles on the back nine and my caddie Zack (Rasego) just spoke to me and told me to stay focused and slow everything down. I started seeing and hitting better shots and made a few clutch putts. I think my game is a little bit better than the last time I played.”

The tournament coincided with a 36-hole Blu Label Unlimited Ladies Challenge that took place at the Lost City Golf Course and which saw Kaiyuree Moodley claim her maiden professional title on three points, one clear of Ivanna Samu.

“It feels amazing to have my first win on tour. We’re really grateful to Blu Label for giving us a chance to play,” she said. – Michael Vlismas Media

SUN CITY, North West – Hennie du Plessis’ incredible return to the Sunshine Tour continues as he claimed the lead in the Blu Label Unlimited Challenge heading into Saturday’s final round at the Gary Player Country Club.

Du Plessis heads the field on 41 points after adding 18 points at the Gary Player Country Club on Friday. His nearest challenger is Tyrone Ryan on 31 points after he could only manage a further two points. And Yurav Premlall is currently third on 30 points following a third round of six points.

Du Plessis has been a revelation this week as he’s returned from a lengthy layoff caused by surgery to his right wrist and then had his recovery further delayed by an injury to his left wrist.

“I’m very happy to be back, and to be back at Sun City which is such a special place to start my campaign again,” he said.

“It was very unfortunate. I was doing all the right things to rehab after surgery, and then the left wrist got inflammation and an irritation of the joint. But in that time we had a baby and I had time to spend with him, which if I was playing a full schedule overseas wouldn’t have been possible.”

It’s been a remarkable comeback for Du Plessis who admits he came to Sun City just to test out where his game is at, and who now suddenly finds himself chasing his third Sunshine Tour title. His last individual victory came in 2017, while he teamed up with Jean Hugo to win the Steyn City Team Championship in 2018.

“I’m just happy to be contending. I’m very happy with the work I’ve been putting in,” he said. – Michael Vlismas Media

SUN CITY, North West – Tyrone Ryan held onto his lead in the Blu Label Unlimited Challenge but after a slightly tougher second round in which he added seven points to climb to 29 points overall.

Ryan played the Lost City Golf Club on Thursday and had to work harder for his lead than his opening 22 points over the Gary Player Country Club course.

“It was a tricky day out there with the wind. I couldn’t come to grips with the wind so that was tough. Between the pin positions and the wind, I struggled to have standard shots. I had a lot of awkward yardages. It was a battle out there today, but I kept it together.”

It opened the door for Yurav Premlall to close the gap as his nearest challenger just five points adrift of him. And Hennie du Plessis continues to impress on his comeback from injury as he shares third place with Anthony Michael on 23 points.

Premlall played the Gary Player Country Club course on Thursday and made 13 points on a golf course where he has fond memories, having won the Nedbank Junior Challenge here while still an amateur and also the Freddie Tait Cup for the leading amateur in the 2021 Investec South African Open. He clearly felt at home as he picked up the most points on the Gary Player Country Club on day two.

“It’s one of my favourite events and venues for the year and I always look forward to coming back to play this event,” said Premlall.

“The golf courses are really nice. It’s a lot softer compared to last year, so it’s easier to make birdies. I just need to keep on doing what I am doing. The format is really cool – it rewards you for making birdies, so I’m going to have to make a lot of them. I am looking forward to what the next two days will bring.”

In joint third place, Du Plessis has been enjoying his return to competitive golf following injury. “I played with zero expectations and just came here to see where my game is at, and I’m very happy. I’m in the mix so I’ll keep my foot on the pedal. I’m still trying to win a tournament and I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t think my game was ready to compete with these guys.”

Another highlight of Thursday’s second round was a hole-in-one, with Deon Germishuys acing the 155-metre par-three 16^th hole with a seven iron and earning himself 50 000 Skybucks from Airlink. – Michael Vlismas Media

Sun City, North West – Tyrone Ryan embraced the modified stableford format of the Blu Label Unlimited Challenge and claimed the lead on 22 points after Wednesday’s first round at both the Gary Player Country Club and Lost City Golf Club courses.

Ryan played the challenging Gary Player Country Club in the first round and teed off the 10^th hole as he worked his way into a nine-point lead.

But it was the format and how it translated to his strategy on the golf course that most excited Ryan.

“It’s just such an amazing place with so much history behind it. The greats of the game have walked these fairways. The format is nice in the sense that you need to be making birdies and eagles, so you need to be aggressive without shooting yourself in the foot. I’m always having birdie in the back of my mind in some shape or form,” Ryan said.

“The round was good. I had a lovely hole-out for eagle on my ninth hole – funny enough with the same club that I got a hole-in-one with last week,” he said, referring to his ace in last week’s Fortress Invitational where he finished tied fourth to give him good momentum coming into this week.

“I also had a chip-in eagle on my 10^th hole and carried the momentum through with birdies on my 13^th, 15^th, 16^th and 17^th holes.”

Ryan has given himself another good start as he looks to claim his second Sunshine Tour victory since breaking through in 2017.

“My golf’s been good for a while now, but I just haven’t been able to put it all together. Last week showed that patience, perseverance and good thinking on the golf course can go a long way. My short game and putting got better, and it showed today on the scorecard,” he said.

Hennie du Plessis made an impressive start in his comeback to the Tour following a lengthy layoff due to injury. He joined Keenan Davidse as Ryan’s nearest challengers on 13 points. – Michael Vlismas Media

Every week, the Sunshine Tour showcases the men who grew up dreaming of greatness and who live out those dreams on the fairways. But this year, the Tour decided to also shine a light on the men or women who stand alongside them – the caddies.

At every prizegiving on the Sunshine Tour, the winning golfer’s caddie is also welcomed forward and awarded a medallion in recognition of the role he or she played in that victory.

It’s a public recognition of the people who are often in the background, but who work every bit as hard as their professionals. They rise just as early before dawn to get to the golf course. They spend just as much time away from home and loved ones. And they take just as much pleasure in their work, and the ultimate reward of victory.

“It’s such a beautiful thing that the Sunshine Tour is doing. It’s so inspiring. With the medallion handover people can see what we do as caddies,” says Albert Mciteka, who has won two medallions this year already with two different players in Pieter Moolman at the Limpopo Championship and Haydn Porteous at the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Gowrie Farm Lodge & Golf Course.

“It feels amazing to have achieved that, especially with two different players.”

Behind every bag carried and yardage book done is a story.

Mciteka’s story in golf began when he was still in primary school.

“I grew up in Stellenbosch and I’ve been caddying since I was in primary school at Koelenhof Primary. I used to skip school just so that I could caddie and make some extra cash. And I just kept on going from there. I’ve been caddying professionally for over 15 years now, on the Sunshine Tour and a bit on the DP World Tour.

“Golf means so much to me. I grew up with golf. There were one or two years where I worked because things were a bit tough, but I missed golf too much. I met Pieter Moolman five years ago and we just clicked, and we’re still together now.”

Much like the professionals who have their golfers they look up to, the caddies do the same within their own ranks.

“The late Douglas Mthembu was a mentor for me. He won the Joburg Open with Haydn Porteous. I’d often speak to him and he’d tell me how to do my job to the best of my ability.”

It’s a job he and every other caddie on the Sunshine Tour does with pride every single week.

“I’ve been fortunate to have won twice this year, but I don’t think I have any secret. I just read the greens, do my yardage book, and check potential flags for the next rounds. I just do my normal thing,” he says.

And yet every single week, it helps to unlock the extraordinary performances on the Sunshine Tour. – Michael Vlismas

Tickets available at https://www.ticketbox.mu/event/abmo-2025

Peter Matkovich, the acclaimed co-designer of the award winning La Réserve Golf Links, Heritage Resorts, has a very clear message for the golf world as this course prepares to host the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open for the second time later this year: “Word will continue to spread about just how good this golf course is”.

From 18-21 December, the Indian Ocean’s first and only contemporary links will once again take centre stage on the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour as the host of the prestigious AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. It will welcome an international field to a golf course that has already garnered worldwide praise.

In its first year after opening, La Réserve Golf Links was voted the World’s Best New Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards. Matkovich was also voted the Golf Course Architect of the Year.

The renowned architect believes this year’s field will be blown away by the course, which he says has “significantly raised the standard of golf in Mauritius”.

“The course has settled and matured so well and the team at Heritage Golf Club has just been so supportive,” says Matkovich.

“The professionals play on great golf courses throughout the year and we’re proud to contribute to that. I think we’ll surprise a lot of people. I’m really looking forward to showcasing what La Réserve Golf Links is all about and how Mauritius is becoming a recognised golf destination.”

This year’s tournament will indeed represent the coming together of a number of elements that will showcase Mauritius’ growing status as a new force in the golf industry.

There is the chance of tournament history being made as England’s John Parry attempts to become the first player to successful defend his title.

There is the tournament’s status as a major economic driver for Mauritius, with the 2024 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open having delivered a record US$4.2 million in net economic impact for the Mauritian economy.

And there is a world-class golf course in La Réserve Golf Links that will provide a fitting stage as the powerful story of golf in Mauritius continues to be told to the world.

The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is proudly supported by leading brands such as AfrAsia Bank, Heritage Resorts, ER Group, Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, Heritage Villas Valriche, Mont Choisy Group, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), Range Rover, Emtel, Poncini, Mauritius Golf Federation, Phoenix Beverages, ticketbox.mu, DStv, C-Care, Mautourco, Ernie Els Wines, CBE and Miko Coffee.

Photo Credit: Jacob Sjöman

JOHANNESBURG – Sunshine Tour rookie Warwick Purchase withstood a few final-round challenges on his way to a maiden victory in the Fortress Invitational at Glendower Golf Club on Sunday.

Purchase, who held a three-shot lead going into the final round, had to endure a strong charge from the experienced Kyle Barker and a weather delay before closing with a 70 for victory on 19 under par.

Barker signed for a 69 to finish tied second with Fortress Rookie of the Year leader Mexico’s Luis Carrera (65) on 17 under par.

“I’m so happy to get the job done today. There were a couple of doubts going into the back nine and I had a bit of a tricky finish coming in,” said an emotional Purchase.

“I’m really proud of myself. I fought hard and dug deep. Right now, I’m a bit overwhelmed but I’m so overjoyed. I’ve had a tough time the last few months on the golf course, so to go on and do it this week, it’s awesome.”

Purchase came into this week’s tournament having missed the cut in his previous four events on the Sunshine Tour, and admitted it felt incredibly rewarding to finally break through with a maiden victory.

“Right now, it means absolutely everything to me. It’s obviously a goal and something I have been working towards. That’s why we practice every day and why we get up every morning. I’m really happy,” Purchase said.

With his victory, Purchase moves into second place behind Carrera on the Fortress Rookie of the Year standings.

Another strong finish by Carrera sees him climb into third place on the Sunshine Tour’s Courier Guy Order of Merit.

Tyrone Ryan closed with a 68 to take fourth place on 16 under par. – Michael Vlismas Media

JOHANNESBURG – Sunshine Tour rookie Warwick Purchase turned up the heat on a cold day at Glendower Golf Club with a third round of 10-under-par 62 that earned him a three-stroke lead in the Fortress Invitational.

Purchase heads the field on 17 under par following a round which included a front nine of 28 and featured a total of nine birdies, an eagle and one bogey.

His nearest challenger is Kyle Barker on 14 under par following his third round of 66, with Daniel van Tonder (69) and Tyrone Ryan (68) on 12 under par.

It was an incredible day of golf with Purchase’s 62 and both Barker and Ryan scoring holes-in-one. Barker aced the 201-metre par-three eighth hole with a seven iron, while Ryan holed out with a gap wedge on the 125-metre par -three fifth hole.

“Today’s round was pretty insane and probably the best of my life, especially that front-nine,” said Purchase.

“I wasn’t thinking too much and was just hitting golf shots. The next minute I shot 28 on the front nine. I also managed to keep it really solid on the back nine, which was playing a bit tougher. Overall, it was a good day where my mindset was perfect.”

Purchase missed the cut in his last four tournaments before this. And after a second round of 71 he also put in even more work on his game, which showed on Saturday.

“I didn’t have a great putting round on Friday so I did quite a bit of practice after the round. My swing also fell into a nice groove today and I decided to be a bit braver and play more aggressively.”

Currently ranked in the top 10 on the Fortress Rookie of the Year standings, Purchase is preparing himself for the new experience of leading a Sunshine Tour event going into the final round.

“It’s foreign territory for me on the Sunshine Tour, so I think a little bit of thought needs to go into my gameplan and on how I will handle the nerves, as there will definitely be some. I’ll be playing with two big names on the Sunshine Tour – Daniel (Van Tonder) and Kyle (Barker) – so the goal will be to get myself into my own little bubble and not worry about what’s going on around me.” – Michael Vlismas Media

JOHANNESBURG – Multiple Sunshine Tour champion, Benjamin Follett-Smith from Zimbabwe, and his namesake from South Africa, Benjamin Van Wyk, both opened with 65s during Thursday’s first round of the Fortress Invitational at Glendower Golf Club to share the lead on seven under par.

Follett-Smith’s round included two eagles and four birdies, with one unfortunate drop on the par-four 18^th hole. 

Van Wyk’s round was highlighted by eight birdies and only one drop on the par-four seventh hole.

“I was hitting the ball very well from tee to green and I capitalised with my putting which was very good. I kept the momentum going, especially when I missed the green,” said Van Wyk.

Van Wyk has been working on improving his game between tournaments, and the effort has been rewarded with two recent top-10 finishes.

“I am feeling very good about my game. I have been working on my swing so it’s good to see some consistency where I can just rely on my putting,” Van Wyk added.

One shot back is a four-way share of second place on six under par with Martin Voster, Tyran Snyders, Daniel van Tonder and Warwick Purchase all scoring 66 for their first round. – Michael Vlismas Media

JOHANNESBURG – Altin van der Merwe is back where it all began for him in this week’s Fortress Invitational, and at a time in his life which represents a new beginning as well.

Van Der Merwe tees it up in Thursday’s first round of this Sunshine Tour event at Glendower Golf Club with fond memories of this being the first professional tournament he played in while still an amateur in 2023. And this week he tees it up with another first in his mind, namely his first tournament as a father following the recent birth of his daughter.

“My spirits are high, and golf is not the only thing that matters anymore,” said Van Der Merwe, who has been playing exceptional golf over the past few weeks with finishes of fourth and second that have carried him into 10^th place on The Courier Guy Order of Merit.

“The last two tournaments were nice. In both I was in contention and had a chance to win. I just went back to an old swing thought and it’s worked for me,” he said.

In 2023 Van Der Merwe was invited to compete in the Fortress Invitational as an amateur and finished tied 30^th. He admits he returns this week feeling a lot more relaxed and confident about his chances as he continues to push for a maiden title on the Sunshine Tour.

“I was so nervous that week as an amateur, and yet I did well. I’m a lot more relaxed now. It’s strange because Glendower is not a course that really suits me, but I’ve learnt how to play it. But also, with the birth of my daughter, I feel like whether it goes well or not on the golf course, when I’m finished playing it’s over and I don’t worry about it until the next round.”

There is a definite sense of Van Der Merwe coming full circle this week, with him also having won the Fortress Rookie of the Year title in the 2024/25 season.

Now in his second season on the Sunshine Tour, Van Der Merwe has had three top fives this season already and is hitting impressive form with the main co-sanctioned tournaments with the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour still to come in the summer.

“It’s been going well, and if it can continue it would be great,” he said. – Michael Vlismas Media