B.C.’s du Toit launches pro debut
‘Whatever I’ve done the last four years in college had purpose and this is the purpose’
The reality of playing golf for a living is about to become very real for Jared du Toit.
The 22-year-old Kimberley resident, who spent the first eight years of his life in Calgary, is turning pro this week at the Bayview Place Cardtronics Open presented by the Times Colonist, which begins today at Uplands Golf Club.
It comes after a solid amateur career that included a B.C. Amateur championship in 2014, a B.C. Junior crown in 2013 and four years of competitive NCAA golf — the last two at Arizona State University where he spent a season as PGA Tour phenom Jon Rahm’s teammate.
“I feel ready. Whatever I’ve done the last four years in college had a purpose, and this is the purpose. Everybody goes to college to try and get better, and I think I did a good job of that. I’m excited to try and keep the progress going,” said du Toit, who began his university career at the University of Idaho.
Du Toit is accustomed to competing at a top level, having played in the final group on the final day with Brandt Snedeker at the RBC Canadian Open on PGA Tour last year where he eventually finished tied for ninth as an amateur. He also competed at the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada’s SIGA Dakota Dunes Open in Saskatoon in 2016, also an amateur, where he missed the cut by one stroke after a two-day total of 2-under.
“There’s always going to be first-tee jitters, but I think I’ll have plenty of faith in my game,” he said of his first pro start, which will be played in front of grandparents Slabber and Daphne du Toit, who have resided in North Saanich since before Jared was born.
“Hopefully, I can get that first tee shot out in the fairway and take it from there. I would love to win,” he said of his eventual aspirations. “That’s the goal every week, but I want to start out well. I want to play well to my abilities and see where it takes me.”
Du Toit has Golf Canada exemptions for the Victoria, Kelowna and Winnipeg stops on Mackenzie Tour and he’s hoping for another in Thunder Bay. Of course, if he finishes top 20 during any of those events he gets to play the following week no matter where the stop.
The six- foot-one, 180-pounder, who is still a member at the Glencoe club in Calgary, is elated about this week’s opportunity.
“I’m very excited. To make [the pro debut] not only in Canada, but in B.C. is exciting,” said du Toit, who will draw on his experiences at Arizona State. “For me, coming into college with not that much history or appreciation of knowing the history of the game a lot, and seeing the names of Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey, Pat Perez and countless others on the wall of fame was very cool.
“Getting to meet a lot of those guys and talk their ear off and learn from them was also cool. They are all world-class guys who completely understand where we are at in our careers. They made it really easy to learn a little bit from them.”
Du Toit will obviously draw on his past experiences, especially the RBC Canadian Open result where he was one stroke back of the lead entering the final round.
“It was unbelievable. It’s one I look back on and it still brings chills down my spine a little bit. You never really know how you’re going to do until you get out there,” he said. “Even some of the best amateurs, I’m not going to say struggle [at the pro level], but it’s a different game.
“For me, going out there without many expectations and playing well was good for my confidence. It showed me I’m kind of doing the right things. It was very nervewracking — not a lot of sleep the last couple of nights.”
Dakota Dunes was also a good learning experience.
“I went in very excited because it was my first pro start [as an amateur]. I was playing well, too, but to not play my best and missed the cut by one was kind of tough,” he admitted. “It was an eye-opener.
“Missing the cut on the Canadian tour and then with the PGA Tour start was interesting for me because I thought: ‘Wow, if I missed the cut in Canada, what’s it going to be like on the PGA Tour?’ But good golf gets it done everywhere. I learned that.”
And he hopes to bring that to Victoria this week.