Of the four lowest rounds of 61 in 2023-24, the first was scored by 18-year-old Joshua Berry of England in the final round of the SDC Open at Zebula. He had 10 birdies and an eagle. Frenchman Martin Couvra had three eagles in his first round 61 at Humewood in the NMB Championship, including back-to-back at 15 and 16. Thriston Lawrence had five eagles at Glendower in the Jonsson Workwear Open. Stefan Wears-Taylor set a record for the fastest completed 18 holes in a tournament when he played the final round of the Tour Championship at Serengeti in one hour and 27 minutes, scoring 79. He was drawn alone due to there being 43 players in the field. The PGA Tour record is one hour 29 minutes by Wesley Bryan in 2017. SUNSHINE TOUR TRIVIA & STATS
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Robin Williams, 22, had a remarkable rookie season, winning the Fortress Invitational at Glendower, and losing a playoff for the SDC Championship at St Francis Links where victory would have locked up not just a DP World Tour card but also the Order of Merit title. His earnings, with bonuses, added up to R5.35 million.
Matteo Manassero’s 26-under total of 262 at Glendower in the Jonsson Workwear Open was the lowest sub-par total for a co-sanctioned DP World Tour event in South Africa. There was 25-under 263 by Shaun Norris at Steyn City in 2022, and 25-under 263 by Ernie Els in the 2010 SA Open at Durban CC.
Order of Merit Top 10 1 Ryan van Velzen 2 Robin Williams 3 Louis Albertse 4 Neil Schietekat 5 Darren Fichardt 6 Rupert Kaminski 7 Jonathan Broomhead 8 Jayden Schaper 9 Jacques de Villiers 10 Luca Filippi
The PGA Championship at St Francis Links, won by Rupert Kaminski, had the highest scoring average of 75.08, which was 6.2 shots more difficult per round than Dainfern in the Stella Artois Players Championship with an average of 68.88. The lowest 36-hole cut was seven-under-par at Dainfern in the Stella Artois, the highest five-over-par in the PGA at St Francis Links. Robin Williams, Gerhard Pepler and Heinrich Bruiners teed up in all 29 of the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit events from May 2023 to April 2024. Williams played most rounds (89), one more than Jean Hugo and Luca Filippi. Gauteng hosted 9 tournaments, and five venues doubled up – Sun City, Wild Coast, Glendower, Zebula and St Francis Links.
A STELLAR COMEBACK The most emotional tour victory of 2023-24 came from 36-year-old Heinrich Bruiners in the Stella Artois Players Championship, after he birdied the last three holes on Sunday to win by one. It had been 10 years and 8 months since his only previous Sunshine Tour success in a Vodacom Origins event at Euphoria in 2013, overcoming a car accident and serious injury. Bruiners had the season’s lowest 72-hole total of 28-under 260 at Dainfern (64-65-67-64) with 30 birdies and just two bogeys.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 97
MAY 2024
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