SA OPEN NOW A TRI-SANCTIONED EVENT
THE City of Johannesburg is the proud new host of the South African Open which will now be played at Randpark Golf Club from December 6-9.
The Sunshine Tour announced that a decision was taken in partnership with GolfRSA, the City of Johannesburg, the European Tour and Asian Tour to create an even greater stage for the South African Open by merging it with the Joburg Open.
The South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg will be played on Randpark’s two championship golf courses, Firethorn and Bushwillow, and will feature a field of 240 professionals – including Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel and former champion Brandon Stone – competing for a minimum of R17.5 million in prize money.
The championship will, for the first time in its history, be a trisanctioned championship between the Sunshine Tour, European Tour and Asian Tour, and it will retain the international qualifying opportunities of the Joburg Open.
SUNSHINE TOUR
TIM Clark, who distinguished himself on many stages around the world, may have left the scene due to niggling injuries but Garth Mulroy, who once played on the second tier tour in the United States and also earned a PGA Tour card for a while, is flying the flag for Umkomaas Golf Club these days.
Mulroy fired in back-to-back birdies in the last three holes at the weekend to win the Vodacom Origins of Golf on a total of 10-under-par 206 at Parys Golf and Country Estate.
He also won the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Arabella Golf and Country Estate in the Western Cape in 2008.
Now he is wishing to carry his good form into this week’s R800 000 Sun Sibaya Challenge, which began at The Woods at Mount Edgecombe Country Club early today.
He said he was always two, three and four shots behind overnight leader Keith Horne most of the time during the final round at Parys before capitalising on opportunities. Horne made a double-bogey on 13th which narrowed the three-shot gap he had opened. He fired rounds of 67 69 70 to claim the crown, his second Vodacom Origins of Golf title.
A DREAM COME TRUE
PIETERMARITZBURG’S Morgan Phillips is on “Cloud Nine” after winning the South African Senior Amateur Championship by seven shots with a masterful display on the final day at the Heron Banks River and Golf Estate at the weekend.
The 57-year-old Phillips fulfilled a life-long dream of winning the championship when he signed for an even-par final round 71 to triumph on three-under 210.
“I have dreamt of winning this championship since I joined the senior ranks, especially after I won the Senior Players in 2015,” said Phillips, who became only the second player to have won both flagship events after reigning No 1 Steve Williams.
“I had a Top 10 in 2016 and I tied for sixth last year, but I had to put my family first and had to scale back quite a bit on competitive golf over the last 20 months. When I arrived at Heron Banks, I had only played six tournaments this season. I had no expectations and I think that was the key to my success. I went out there, played my game, managed my game well and put together three solid rounds.”