Ahlers: Good course management a must
Reigning Lion of Africa champion wary of Cape Doctor and dry fairways
REIGNING champion Jaco Ahlers begins his defence of the R1.2 million Lion Of Africa Cape Open at Royal Cape Golf Club today and the 32-year-old resident of Centurion is feeling bullish about his chances over the next four days.
“I have fond memories from last year. I ended up prevailing after a tough three-way playoff. The victory set me up… I had a good run after that for four months, and that’s always good for the confidence.
“Being back in the Mother City and competing on the oldest course in the country, what a pleasure for us as players who only get down to this neck of the woods at this time of the year,” the three-time Sunshine Tour winner said after completing a practice round on Tuesday.
“The course seems to be in good nick and the greens are nice. The fairways are somewhat on the dry side, so we should get a bit of a roll. It’s going to be a fine event and I’m keen to just get out there and see where it takes me.
“One can’t just overpower the course. That’s definitely going to be the case if the Cape Doctor pays a visit.
“If there’s a strong south-easter around, then life is going to be a bit of a challenge. In calm conditions like last year we can have a go and post low scores.
“The layout is a thinker’s one; good course management is a must. One has to play different types of shots depending on what holes you’re on, and that’s the way I like it.”
It is interesting to note that all of Ahlers’ three professional wins to date have come in sudden-death playoffs, the first two on Cape soil.
In 2009, he defeated Ulrich van den Berg at Erinvale to win the Vodacom Business Origins of Golf title. Ahlers then had to wait five years before claiming title number two (the Cape Open) when he prevailed over Ross McCowan and Hennie Otto, before landing his biggest triumph of all in March this year when he edged Jaco van Zyl in the Investec Cup.
Ahlers is 257th on the world rankings. As for challengers to the 32-year-old, some experienced hands and a number of young guns are eager to announce themselves.
Otto has had his moments in this event in past visits, but the seasoned campaigner hasn’t been able to seal the deal when he’s had his rivals at his mercy on more than one occasion. Ranked 249th, Otto will launch a strong claim for top honours if he can keep it together. He’s made tons of birdies in his bids, but given back one too many bogeys or worse, which have cost him dearly.
Sunshine Tour rookies Zander Lombard and Rourke van der Spuy are two young guns with claims, while rising star Ruan de Smidt, who won the Nedbank Affinity Cup at the start of the month to end a three-year drought, is one to keep an eye out for.
Krugersdorp resident De Smidt turned pro in 2011 and has slowly worked his way into a position where he is now viewed as a threat to fellow competitors.
He’s had his fair share of missed cuts in 2015 (eight) – he missed cut last week in the Affinity Cup – but offset that with four top 20 finishes in his last six starts, so has found a bit of form and may just be one of the 156 players in the field in with a chance of bagging the R190 200 winner’s cheque come Sunday afternoon.