Category: Featured News

GQEBERHA (Eastern Cape) – Sweden’s Adam Blommé uses his words with the same precision as a scalpel as he describes the course strategy that earned him a 63 and the first-round lead in the Nelson Mandela Bay Championship at Humewood Golf Club on Thursday. “Keep the ball in play. Hit greens. Make putts. Nothing new”.

His round of nine under par puts him one stroke clear of South Africa’s Pieter Moolman, with the quartet of South African Anthony Michael, Frenchman Ugo Coussaud, Scotland’s Craig Howie, England’s Jack Singh Brar and Swede Henric Sturehed all well placed on seven under par in this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned tournament.

And then Blommé adds, “No links shots whatsoever today”. That was the most telling comment on day one of this tournament on South Africa’s most historic links golf course. Blommé took full advantage of the ideal conditions and the lack of wind to entrench his number one status on the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca standings, and confirm his good form coming into this event.

“We were lucky with the draw. There was no wind out there in the morning,” he said on a day when one of his playing partners, Ireland’s Conor Purcell, remarked that it was hard to believe his own round of five under par was the worst score in their group.

“This course is built for wind. We need the wind to pick up to make it challenging. I wouldn’t mind a bit of wind to be honest,” said Moolman.

The first round certainly rewarded the in-form golfers in what is the fourth and final event on the Sunshine Tour and Challenge Tour’s South African Swing.

Blommé has finished second and tied seventh in his last two tournaments in South Africa. Behind him, Moolman has finished no worse than 14^th in his last three tournaments. And in the group on seven under, Coussaud has finished no worse than 13^thin his previous three tournaments in South Africa.

When you consider that further back on six under par lies JJ Senekal, last week’s SDC Open champion, and Casey Jarvis, who has finished in the top-10 in his last two tournaments, then it will take something to separate a group of golfers all playing very well at present. – Michael Vlismas

GQEBERHA (Eastern Cape) – Zander Lombard had a broad smile on his face as he walked the rolling fairways of Humewood Golf Club in his practice round ahead of this week’s Nelson Mandela Bay Championship. “This smells like amateur golf and all those great memories,” he said.

Memories of Humewood and Lombard’s highly successful amateur days came flooding back to him at a time when he now returns to this venerable links as an accomplished professional in tremendous form going into this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned event. In his last three tournaments on the DP World Tour, Lombard has finished tied second, tied sixth and tied 17^th, placing him 20^th on the Race to Dubai rankings.

“I’ve been playing really solid golf and I’m just looking to keep building on that. It’s great to be able to come back home and play golf courses like this one again. As an amateur I remember winning the Inter-Provincial Tournament with Gauteng North here in 2010. We used to play this course so much as amateurs and it’s just such a great golf course to come back to.” Lombard also finished fourth in the Eastern Province Stroke Play at Humewood in 2013.

“This is a special place,” said Lombard.

It is indeed a unique week for specifically the Sunshine Tour professionals, playing a links course that has hosted five Investec South African Opens, with Ernie Els winning his national Open here in 2006. It’s a golf course that has a framed letter written by Bobby Locke in its clubhouse in which he declares his fondness for this layout. And at its heart is a mercurial set of fairways and greens, the sheer unpredictability of which is what Lombard so loves about the links game.

“I love links golf for exactly that reason – its unpredictability. We are very hard on ourselves as professionals. But when you play links golf, you can’t control the kind of bounces you’re going to get and that almost gives you a break from that accountability. You see different lines and aim points here. I love the creativity of it.”

Gqeberha local Lyle Rowe, who knows this course better than most and is relishing playing in front of his home fans this week, echoes this approach.

“When you play this golf course, you need to be patient. You’ll get good and bad bounces that are out of your control, and that’s links golf.”

The other defence of this course is the wind, but it’s been a fairly calm build-up to Thursday’s first round.

“It would be nice if there’s a little breeze for this golf course. It just makes it a little bit more interesting,” said Rowe.

This is the fourth and final tournament of the Sunshine Tour-Challenge Tour South African Swing. It’s been a good run so far for the Southern Africans on this stretch with wins by Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith and South Africans Oliver Bekker and JJ Senekal in the last three tournaments. – Michael Vlismas

BELA-BELA (Limpopo) – As JJ Senekal drove to the Zebula golf course for Sunday’s final round of the SDC Open, his new favourite playlist was on the car radio. The volume was turned up to 21. That’s when he decided to turn it up to 25, to match his desired target of 25 under par to win this tournament.

A few hours later, Senekal rolled in a birdie putt on the 18^th to win this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour tournament with a final round of 65 and by four strokes. On 25 under par.

“It was very emotional. I put a lot of hard work into this starting from the beginning of last year. It all comes down to hard work. This means the world to me. I was knocking for quite a while now and this week was a good example of staying patient, playing good golf and knowing what to do and when to do it,” Senekal said after his wire-to-wire victory.

Casey Jarvis took second place on 21 under par with a closing 67, and the young South African threw everything at Senekal during a thrilling back nine in which he chipped in for eagle on the 15^th and then holed a huge birdie putt on 16 to close to within one shot of Senekal with two holes to play.

But the par-three 17^th proved the differentiator as Senekal birdied the hole and Jarvis made bogey after missing the green with his tee shot. That gave Senekal a three-shot lead playing the 18^th.

“Keeping Casey off my back was hard. Well done to him. He played an unbelievable round of golf. He really chased me down on the back nine. He started firing over the last few holes but I did what I needed to and hit some good golf shots,” said Senekal.

But even with a three-shot lead, Senekal delivered an incredible approach that left him with a two-foot putt for birdie on the 18^th.

“It was a big relief. I thought I’d hit it short but once you see the ball next to the hole and you know you’ve got a three-shot lead and are tapping in for birdie, it’s all the pressure off your shoulders. It feels amazing. It’s been five years since my last win. To finally get it done is a great feeling.”

Senekal also won himself a 20-year Zebula Holiday Villa Share worth R320 000. – Michael Vlismas

BELA-BELA (Limpopo) – JJ Senekal held on to his place at the top of the SDC Open leaderboard as he weathered a cold putter, intermittent rain and a few surges from his fellow professionals to place him two shots clear of the field going into Sunday’s final round at Zebula Golf Estate and Spa.

Senekal signed for a third round of 69 to lead on 18 under par. His nearest challenger is Casey Jarvis on 16 under following his round of 66. Jaco Prinsloo and Martin Vorster are both three shots off the lead after their rounds of 66 and 68 respectively.

At 14:00, play was stopped for a minute’s silence in remembrance of former DP World Tour Chief Referee, John Paramo, who passed away last Friday at the age of 67.

Senekal has led from day one of this tournament and been remarkably composed despite the frustration of not always having his best putting game with him.

“It wasn’t the best round of golf I’ve ever played. From tee to green it was pretty good, but 32 putts was frustrating. I hit good putts here and there but the reading wasn’t very good. I gave myself a lot of opportunities but the putter just wasn’t working,” he said after a round of four birdies and one bogey.

“I was expecting people to charge and they did. Casey had a good round. But I managed to keep myself in it and I’ve got a shot tomorrow.”

Jarvis produced another strong charge to be in contention once again this season. After his eagle on the 15^th he didn’t get the finish he wanted as he bogeyed two of his final three holes when the rain suddenly came down again.

“I played really solid the whole day and I rolled in a lot of putts. The way I’m striking the ball I feel really in control of my game at the moment. I’ve been in this position before so hopefully I’ve learnt from the past. I’ve just got to stay patient. In the past I’ve been a little rushed, but I’ve just got to stay patient out there,” he said as he looks forward to a possible maiden victory on the Sunshine Tour.

Patience will certainly be the theme for the final group, with the more experienced Senekal taking the same approach.

“You just have to stay in the moment. If you’re not nervous you’re not ready. There is obviously pressure but you have to keep it under control and not get ahead of yourself. I’m very excited to be in the final group again and I have a shot at the title. That’s always exciting.” – Michael Vlismas

BELA-BELA (Limpopo) – JJ Senekal retained his place at the top of the SDC Open leaderboard with a second round of 67 which earned him a four-stroke lead heading into the weekend at the Zebula Golf Estate and Spa.

Senekal leads the field on 15 under par, with fellow South African Martin Vorster his nearest challenger on 11 under par following a 69 on Friday. Casey Jarvis, Alfie Plant, Combrinck Smit, Estiaan Conradie and Victor Pastor are all lined up on 10 under par.

Senekal was two strokes clear after the first round thanks to his opening 62, and he had set himself a target of another low round on Friday.

“I had a target of eight under today, but I mean, five under is still a good round of golf around here,” he said.

He made another fast start with two birdies in his first three holes to suggest he may well post another low round. But the cooler weather and intermittent rain that moved over the course seemed to match the cooling of his putter.

“After that good start I really thought I could go low again today. But it died down after that and the putter went cold over the last 10 holes. I didn’t make a thing. I hit two close iron shots that gave me the opportunity for a birdie and eagle but that was it. I didn’t make anything inside 10 feet after that. I’m actually quite disappointed with the putting performance on the back nine, but I’m in a good position for the weekend.”

It was the opposite for his nearest challenger Vorster. The young star finds himself in contention for the second time on this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned stretch of events. He finished fourth in the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open two weeks ago, and this week he’s felt that his putter has kept him in the chase.

“I’m pretty happy considering how I hit the ball today. The swing has been a bit up and down and I haven’t been hitting the ball as well as the last few weeks. But my short game has been the best it has been so I feel comfortable around the greens. The putter was great and I made a few good putts for pars.”

Vorster recovered well from each of his three bogeys, following them up with a birdie at the next hole. And he’s relishing being in contention going into the weekend.

“Being in the mix is incredible. I was right up there in the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open and I enjoy it so much. It motivates me to play better so I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Senekal has hopes that he has another low round in him for the weekend as he chases a title he was also in contention for last year.

“I’m just going to keep doing the same I’ve been doing the last two days. If you put yourself in the right positions on this golf course you can really go low. – Michael Vlismas

BELA-BELA (Limpopo) – Before Thursday’s first round of the SDC Open at the Zebula Golf Estate and Spa, JJ Senekal watched an episode of the new Netflix golf documentary, “Full Swing”. In it Major champion Brooks Koepka verbalised exactly what Senekal felt as he went on to open with a 10-under-par 62 and lead this tournament.

“Koepka spoke about how within the first couple of holes of your round you know if it’s on or not. That’s what happened to me over the first five holes today. I knew it was on,” said Senekal as he played his way to seven birdies, two eagles and one bogey for a two-stroke lead over fellow South African Martin Vorster. Herman Loubser is also well-placed three shots off the lead.

Senekal’s first five holes certainly gave him confirmation of a good day coming as he teed off the 10^th and played them in three under par. Then came an eagle on the  par-five 15^th and a birdie on the par-four 16^th that was impressive enough to even get a few wildebeest to lift their heads from their grazing.

“It was a hot start. I felt I needed that eagle on 15if I wanted to get a low round going. Then I eagled my 11^th hole (the par-five second) and I knew I was in for a good round.”

A lapse in concentration and the wrong club selection led to a bogey on his 12^th hole, but three birdies coming home quickly sorted that out.

Senekal has been waiting for this round amidst a season of remarkable consistency that has been highlighted by a sixth-place finish in November’s Joburg Open and then 14^th in the recent Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open and sixth in last week’s Dimension Data Pro-Am.

It came on Thursday on a golf course he’s always loved since he made his amateur debut for South Africa here 16 years ago in a Test against England, playing against the same Ashley Chesters who was his professional playing partner on Thursday.

“I’ve been knocking on the door for quite a while. With the results I’ve had in the past four months I knew there was a low round in there somewhere, and here she is.”

Senekal finished seventh in last year’s SDC Open and clearly enjoys this bushveld layout. “I like tree-lined golf courses because of the targeting it gives you. You have to be straight off the tee here and I think I got that right. You have to keep it in play here and it’s soft enough at the moment where you can fire at flags. You just need to stay patient and there are a lot of birdies out there.”

Behind him, Vorster was delighted with his round, especially after a warm-up that wasn’t ideal by his standards.

“This morning on the range I didn’t have the greatest session but we went out with the mindset that I’ve been playing well so I’ll just keep committing to shots, and I’m very happy with the result. I love being in the bushveld and the course suits me,” he said. – Michael Vlismas

BELA-BELA (Limpopo) – It’s a week on the Sunshine Tour when the drive to the golf course takes you past a herd of wildebeest and antelope. A week when professional Kyle Barker rides a mountain bike on the dirt roads to the Zebula Country Club clubhouse. A week when some afternoon fishing or game viewing is always a possibility. And a week when the winner of the SDC Open will most likely be handed his trophy in a presentation featuring the local elephants.

The second edition of this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour event tees off in the Limpopo bushveld on Thursday, and in an environment that seems to suit a number of the South African professionals.

Pieter Moolman had a strong run in Limpopo last year when he finished 12^th in the SDC Open and then seventh in the Limpopo Championship at the nearby Euphoria Golf Club. After that he won his maiden Sunshine Tour title in the Fortress Invitational last year.

The SDC Open is the third of four tournaments co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour and Challenge Tour, and Moolman has made a strong push on this swing. He returns to Limpopo having moved into the top 10 on the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca rankings thanks to finishes of 14^th in the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open and ninth in the Dimension Data Pro-Am over the past two weeks. 

“I approach every tournament with the same mindset, but I seem to enjoy this kind of layout. I think it’s because you have to hit it in the right spot and that helps me focus,” said Moolman.

“I prefer this course when it’s a bit dry, and that will be different this year with all the rain they’ve had. It means you’ll have to hit the fairways because you don’t know what you’ll be getting into in the rough. But I’ve played well the last few weeks and am managing my bad shots better. The game is more about misses than good shots, and if you miss it in the right spot you have a much better chance of making par. It’s about managing your game when you’re not playing well, and I feel like I’ve been doing that well.”

Brandon Stone is also well-placed in fifth on the Challenge Tour rankings following top-seven finishes in the last two tournaments. He is coming back to a Limpopo province where he’s won before in his professional career.

Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith, winner of the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open, and South African’s Martin Vorster, who finished fourth in Cape Town, fill out a strong Sunshine Tour representation in first and eighth on the Challenge Tour rankings respectively going into this week’s tournament. And Ruan Conradie, who has struggled of late, will draw on his runner-up finish in this event last year. – Michael Vlismas

GEORGE (Western Cape) – Oliver Bekker claimed his second Dimension Data Pro-Am title in a dominant display at Fancourt on Sunday as he won by four shots in front of his home crowd.

Bekker took a five-shot lead into the final round and closed with a measured 68 on the Montagu course to win on 22 under par overall. Sweden’s Adam Blomme took second place on 18 under par with a final round of 66.

Bekker first won this title in 2012 and is now only the third player since the tournament’s inception in 1996 to win the Dimension Data Pro-Am twice, joining Nick Price (1997 and 1998) and Darren Fichardt (2004 and 2010).

“When you start with such a big lead it’s almost a relief that you didn’t waste it. It’s amazing to be here in front of my family and friends. It’s not often you play a golf tournament and you’ve got a hundred people following you and you know almost all of them. I’m just elated,” said Bekker.

On another magnificent day on the Garden Route, Bekker parred his way through the first seven holes before his first birdie of the final round on the par-three eighth hole. He added four more birdies on the back nine, and could afford a single bogey, to put himself well and truly beyond reach.

Hennie O’Kennedy came storming through the field with a bogey-free round of 65 to finish on 16 under par, and Frenchman Ugo Coussaud tried to make a contest of it with a sublime 63 to finish on 14 under. But Bekker had done more than enough to keep himself beyond any serious challenge.

“I did watch the scoreboard quite a bit and played rather safe. I didn’t try to be too aggressive and make any unforced errors. The course was there for the taking today, but I didn’t want to disappoint anybody and still go out there and put together a good final round.” – Michael Vlismas

The fifth edition of the Sunshine Tour’s Limpopo Championship hosted by the Limpopo Tourism Agency is expected to be one of the most memorable in the history of this tournament when it is played at the popular Euphoria Golf and Lifestyle Estate from 30 March to 2 April.

A total prize fund of R2 million will once again attract a full field of professionals to an event that has in the past featured Sunshine Tour, European Challenge Tour and DP World Tour campaigners challenging for glory.

The Limpopo Championship boasts a strong list of past champions, including multiple DP World Tour winner Brandon Stone, and JC Ritchie, now a DP World Tour campaigner and the only player to have won this title twice in 2019 and 2020.

The country’s other stars such as Wilco Nienaber, Oliver Bekker, Daniel van Tonder and Hennie du Plessis have also all finished runner-up here over the years.

Such has been the stronghold South African golfers have had on a tournament that remains close to their hearts as it is played in the magnificent Limpopo bushveld that Poland’s Mateusz Gradecki remains the only international winner with his three-stroke triumph here in 2022.

Andrew Dipela, the LTA Chairman, said: “This prestigious tournament is a catalyst for Limpopo’s destination marketing and tourism growth. It anchored the tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, creates much-needed local jobs, attracts significant economic investment, and supports community development.”

Tournament organisers are this year preparing for an even greater influx of spectators with a week-long programme that will include a VIP hospitality area, live entertainment and even a pool party, all while showcasing the natural wonders of the Limpopo Province and its unique culture.

Moses Ngobeni, LTA CEO, said: “The Limpopo Tourism Agency is extremely proud of this tournament and its positioning of Limpopo and the Waterberg District as a sought-after golf destination.”

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said: “We are delighted to be visiting Limpopo once again for an event that has become an important part of the Sunshine Tour calendar. The Limpopo Tourism Agency has done immense work in growing the game of golf in the Waterberg District, and using this tournament to grow tourism in the whole province. We are proud to support this process.”

GEORGE (Western Cape) – Oliver Bekker has clearly felt comfortable in his hometown this week and is looking very much at home at the top of the leaderboard as he takes a five-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round of the Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt.

A 64 on the Outeniqua course on Saturday lifted Bekker to 18 under par overall and on track to add to his 2012 victory in this Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour event.

The South African’s nearest challenger is countryman Luke Jerling on 13 under par following his 71 on the Montagu course.

Bekker, now a DP World Tour campaigner, decided to return to the Sunshine Tour this week to enjoy the privilege of playing a tournament where he can sleep in his own bed and have his family with him.

“You don’t get to do that too often. It’s great to have that family time, and I also have a lot of local support here. It’s a special event for me,” said Bekker.

Bekker took full advantage of another perfect day in George and an Outeniqua golf course that is the most forgiving of the three courses here at Fancourt used for this tournament.

“Outeniqua is a very scoreable golf course and it was nice to do just that. I played well and it was nice to hole a few putts on the back nine. I gave myself a lot of opportunities. All in all it was a very good day. I knew my golf was good and that if I could get a few putts in today I would get a low one.”

Bekker was most pleased with being able to make his move on the weekend after he’d worked his way into a competitive position over the first two rounds.

“I feel like my game has been moving this way. In the last few weeks I’ve been making good starts and then over the weekend I’ve let it slip, so it’s nice to produce a good round on the Saturday and move in the right direction. I’ve always enjoyed playing Fancourt and I always fancy myself to do well in this event.” – Michael Vlismas