Category: Uncategorized

ZAMBIA, Chingola – Samuel Simpson claimed his third Sunshine Tour title by winning the KCM Golf Challenge at the Nchanga Golf Club in Zambia on 18-under par, one shot clear from a group of four players.

Simpson, the leader of this season’s The Courier Guy Order of Merit once again celebrated his love-affair with golf in Zambia, having won the 2025 Mopani Zambia Open and finished joint fifth at last week’s Mopani Zambia Open. Wes Hlope received a Sunshine Tour medallion as the winning caddie. 

Pieter Moolman (64) and Simon du Plooy (65) set the initial clubhouse lead on 17-under par, after closing with respective back-to-back birdies over the closing two holes. 

An eagle on the 17^th followed by birdie on the 18^th however gave Samuel Simpson (66) the lead on 18-under par, with a tense wait in the clubhouse that followed.

With the closing group of Oliver Goldhill (70) and Haydn Porteous (71) joining Pieter Moolman and Simon du Plooy on 17-under par, Simpson celebrated his third Sunshine Tour title, after also clinching the recent Mediclinic Invitational.

Graham van der Merwe (68) finished on 16-under par in sixth place.

The KCM Golf Challenge also produced the fourth player to record a hole-in-one this season, after Christiaan Burke aced the 150m par three ninth hole with a pitching wedge. – Michael Vlismas Media

ZAMBIA, Kitwe – Jason Roets produced a brilliant round of 65 on day two of the Mopani Zambia Open at the Nkana Golf Club to lead fellow South African James Mack by three shots on eight under par going into the weekend.

“It’s awesome being out here in Zambia. It’s always a treat playing in Africa as it brings a different atmosphere than what we are used to. The locals really come out and support so you can feed off the energy and the vibe out here,” said Roets, who also has a top-three finish in eSwatini behind his name.

Starting his round on the 10^th hole, Roets did most of his scoring in a run of four birdies in five holes over the turn. He dropped only two shots in his round.

“I am really happy with the way I played today. I hit the ball really nice which is key out here as the course can play tricky with it being so demanding. Hitting it well today took a lot of stress out of it,” Roets said.

Heading into the weekend with a three-shot lead, Roets is well placed to challenge for a maiden Sunshine Tour title come Sunday’s final round, after following a run of top-10s towards the end of last season.

“It was nice to post a good score today. I am pleased with my two days so far and excited for the weekend. The weekend is going to be a lot of fun,” he said.

Mack worked his way into contention with a round of 69, while Sunshine Tour rookie Rigardt Albertse signed for a 71 to move into third place on four under par.

Haydn Porteous, who led the first round, kept himself in contention on three under par despite a second round of 74. – Michael Vlismas Media

EASTERN CAPE, Gqeberha – Justin Walters’s focus on his short game has paid off as he takes a four-shot lead into Friday’s final round of the SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun Boardwalk at Humewood Golf Club.

Walters was in great form with the putter on his way to a 64 and the overall lead on 15 under par.

“I putted really well during my round today, but did not drive the ball as well as I did yesterday. It was very tricky with lots of cross winds, but I am happy with how I finished the round with a couple of birdies coming in. It always make you feel good,” a satisfied Walter said.

His nearest challengers are Jacques Blaauw and Welshman Jack Davidson on 11 under par after both signed for second rounds of 65.

“My game is in good shape at the moment,” said Walters. “I stopped implementing so many swing changes and worked really hard on my short game and putting. I even changed my putting grip. My focus is to hit solid putts and at the moment they are going in.”

Walters is due a win on the Sunshine Tour, with his last victory coming in 2011 when he won the Investec Royal Swazi Open.

“I haven’t won in a long time. I’ve honestly been wanting to do that. That’s why we tee it up and work so hard – to put ourselves in these positions. So, the gameplan for the final round is more of the same. Over three rounds you can’t take your foot off the gas. You’ve got to keep going. I will be as aggressive as I can, and as long as I make some putts, then I think I will be in contention for the victory.” – Michael Vlismas Media

Martin Vorster saw more of the fruits of the hard work he has been putting into his game pay off as he opened with a six-under-par 66 to share the lead with JC Ritchie on the opening day of The Serengeti Playoffs at Serengeti Estates on Thursday.

Vorster and Ritchie came through the first day one stroke clear of the field, with Stals Swart, Ockie Strydom and Wilco Nienaber their nearest challengers.

For Vorster in particular, it was a positive start at a critical point of the season, with The Courier Guy Playoffs offering a range of incentives to the leading professionals.

“Coming into the playoffs is really important, especially where I am on the rankings,” Vorster said of his 38^th place on The Courier Guy Order of Merit. “Last season was my best on the Sunshine Tour and I finished strong,” he added.

Vorster had a very solid playoffs series last season wherein he finished in the top 15 in the final two playoffs tournaments.

That, combined with a growing self-belief in where his game is headed, combined for a solid start on Thursday.

“I feel like the game has been solid these last couple of weeks coming into the playoffs. Any playoff is important, and it’s just really nice to be up on the leaderboard and see all the hard work pay off and the adjustments to the swing that I’ve made.”

At the beginning of this year, Vorster went back to working with his junior coach – Grant Veenstra.

“We’ve seen a lot of progress and it’s nice to see that under pressure I could pull off the shots I wanted to.

There’s no different approach to the playoffs for me. I identified the holes I felt were opportunities. I drove the ball well and that left me opportunities off the fairway. So I’ll stick to that.”

It was a tough opening day, with rain and wind making for a challenging front nine for Vorster.

“Serengeti is a great challenge. With the rain and wind on the front nine, some holes played longer than I’m used to. But the course is in such good condition. I just love being here. I stayed here and was a member here for a bit, and it feels like a home course for me, even though we’re back in George now.” – Michael Vlismas

CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – You would be surprised to know what professional golfers get up to off the fairways and during a week in a world-class city such as Cape Town, the host of this week’s CIRCA Cape Town Open on the Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour. And it’s far more normal than you think.

The chance to play a tournament in a city that is one of the world’s most sought-after tourism destinations brings with it an ideal opportunity to go from the driving range and explore a mountain range, or to trade a few fairway drives for some of the city’s most scenic drives.

So as focused as this year’s field will be from Thursday to Sunday as they compete for glory at Royal Cape Golf Club, they will definitely be taking time out to explore Cape Town as well.

“I went to the Access Park shopping centre and there is a fish and chips shop there where you can buy a calamari and chips bun for R45. You have to do that in Cape Town. It’s like a Gatbsy (an iconic Cape Town sandwich) but it’s a bun. For R45 – it’s a bargain,” said Jaco Ahlers, a former winner of the CIRCA Cape Town Open.

“You have to get out there a bit and see the city. It feels like home to me because my sister used to live here. So we’d do Cavendish Square and Canal Walk Shopping Centre.”

Multiple Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour champion George Coetzee has a whole itinerary of favourites whenever he’s in Cape Town.

“The Blue Peter restaurant in Bloubergstrand is a must – sitting on the grass for sundowners with a beautiful view of Table Mountain. Then, because I love surfing, I always take in Muizenberg for a little long board session there. And the Oranjezicht Market – straight there for breakfast. Those are all of my favourites in Cape Town,” he said.

Gerhard Pepler has two favourites he never misses whenever in Cape Town.

“The Red Bus Tour is always fun. And the Two Oceans Aquarium. It’s amazing and an absolute must-do when you’re in Cape Town,” he said.

And Nikhil Rama is still busy planning his first holiday in Cape Town. “I’ve never been on a holiday here. I’ve always just played the CIRCA Cape Town Open and that’s it. I’ve been up Table Mountain when I was younger, but I’d like to plan a proper holiday here. I love the weather here. The city feels like a mini Europe.” – Michael Vlismas

Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra will take a two-stroke lead into the weekend of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, with Jayden Schaper his nearest challenger as the young South African pushes for a DP World Tour title for the second week in a row.

Chacarra produced an entertaining 66 that included an eagle and birdie in his opening three holes, back-to-back bogeys in the middle of the round, and then two birdies in his final three holes to lead on 15 under par.

“I started out very well but the conditions were tricky with the wind. I didn’t have my best stuff on the back nine but overall it was good golf, and there is still plenty of golf to play,” he said.

“After my bogeys on 10 and 11 the round could’ve gone a little south so I was pleased with my bounce back and those birdies at the end.”

Chacarra is well aware that he’ll need to keep pushing against a quality lineup of players near the top of the leaderboard.

“This is a golf course where you can go low, and a lot of players can still win. But I know if I execute my gameplan with my caddie and play like I have these past two rounds, I’ll have a good chance come Sunday.”

Schaper is one of those hoping to put some pressure on the leader and he’s done so with a second round of 64 to climb to 13 under par overall. He finds himself in contention for the second week in succession after finishing runner-up in last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player.

“Last week was a good week for me and I just wanted to continue with that. I’ve had to adjust a little to the yardages here, but I’ve done that now. This is a very familiar golf course for me. I’m right where I want to be for the weekend,” he said.

Schaper came close to winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship in 2020 when he finished second to Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

England’s John Parry and South Africa’s Branden Grace head into the weekend on 12 under par after their respective second rounds of 66 and 67.

Former Alfred Dunhill Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen rounds out the current top 10 on nine under par following his second round of 68.