Youngsters get another shot to glory
FORMER winners Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and England’s defending champion Andy Sullivan won’t be teeing it up at the Joburg Open from tomorrow, but there are more than enough quality players in the field, including some seriously talented youngsters, to ensure the tournament will be every bit as exciting as last week’s SA Open.
It was just a few days ago that 22-year-old Brandon Stone, pictured, captured his first European Tour title, winning by two shots at Glendower, but pushing him all the way in a thrilling final round was rookie tour player, 21-year-old Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Both will tee it up in the first round of the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington tomorrow as the tournament celebrates its 10th anniversary – and both will be hoping for further success.
Stone, who with the victory said he’d achieved one of his goals for the year – that was to win his first European Tour event – climbed to inside the top 120 in the world golf rankings. But the confident Stone says he’s far from done for the year.
Asked on Sunday if he was going to re-assess his plans for the year and set a target to reach in the rankings he said: “I haven’t even thought about that. To be honest it feels as if I’m still playing ‘Rory McIlroy PGA’ right now.
“I’m flying on cloud nine. To say that trophy belongs to me for a year is so special.
“As high as possible, simple,” he added about where he’d like to end the year.
“I just want to keep playing the way I am and we’ll see on December 31st where I’m sitting.”
It won’t only be Stone though who’ll have golfing eyes on him this week, but Bezuidenhout as well.
The Sunshine Tour rookie, playing in his first tournament since winning the 90-hole Qualifying School in December, is a player many observers are excited about. His final round 67 last weekend ensured he finished second on his own to earn the tidy sum of R1.7m.
According to the Sunshine Tour website, Bezuidenhout – or Rambo to his friends and family – was South Africa’s top ranked amateur when he failed a dope test at the 2014 British Amateur and the international Golf Federation initially banned him for two years.
But when it was discovered he’d been prescribed the drug by his doctor ever since he was a youngster to help cure a severe chronic stutter his ban was reduced to nine months. Immediately after it was lifted last March he turned professional.
But it won’t only be the young guns looking to impress this week, but a few older men who missed out at Glendower last weekend.
Four-time Major winner Ernie Els will play the Joburg Open for the first time and after missing the cut last week after registering scores of 73 and 74 in the first two rounds will be keen to find some form. He’s confident of doing so.
“I’m really excited to get the putting working well in tournament play again,” he said after missing out last weekend.
George Coetzee, too, who played his first competitive round of golf at Glendower since missing out on tournament play in the latter stages of 2015 because of a broken leg, will want to make a step up at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington.
The 2014 winner of the Joburg Open shot 75 and 73 at Glendower to miss the cut, but the multiple tour winner is sure to be stronger this week. Richard Sterne, the two-time winner of the tournament (2008 and 2013), will also be hoping for greater consistency this week after recording only one score under par (a third round 67) at Glendower.