O NE OF THE MOST thrilling and unique holes to play in South Africa is the 13th at De Zalze estate in Stellenbosch. It’s a short risk- reward par 4 on a Peter Mat- kovich design where you play from island tees in the middle of a large dam and take leave of your comfort zone. The tee shot is a choice between a long direct carry over water to the green or a shorter route to the fairway. The 13th will capture the at- tention of estate residents in March when De Zalze hosts the DNi Tour Championship for the Sunshine Tour’s lead- ing professionals. Many will boldly aim straight for the green on the water’s edge, a 250-metre carry to the front. Left of the green is water, and the bail-out options are long (bunkers guard the back of the green) or right. When De Zalze hosted a 54- hole Vodacom Origins event in 2022, there were 72 birdies here in 260 rounds (no eagles), with the hole averaging 3.94. No 13 proved to be more dif- ficult than another driveable short 4, the 308-metre 18th, which yielded 86 birdies and one eagle. The winner that week, George Coetzee, played 13 and 18 in five-under for the three rounds. The most difficult hole at De Zalze is the one that precedes the 13th. In 2022 there were
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY The Tour Championship was first played at Leopard Creek from 2001 to 2004, before moving to CCJ (2005) and Pretoria CC (2006) when Leopard Creek began hosting the Alfred Dunhill Championship. It wasn’t played for 12 years until being resurrected as a season- ending tournament at Serengeti in 2018 with a 42-man field. It was played there until 2024, moving to Blair Atholl in 2025 with a 46-man field under a new title sponsor in the DNI Group, a technology and distribution business. Darren Fichardt is the only multiple winner of the title, in 2001 and 2018.
only 9 birdies at the 171-me- tre 12th, where water guards the right side of the green. It is recognised as one of the most challenging 3s in South Africa. Stellenbosch will be hosting two of the biggest tournaments on the Sunshine Tour this summer, firstly the Investec SA Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club at the end of February. With Royal Cape again hosting the Cape Town Open, there is a feast of golf ahead for West- ern Cape fans in February and March. De Zalze becomes the first Cape course to stage the Tour Championship, which has only ever been played in Mpumalanga and Gauteng. It’s a limited field event for the top 50 finishers on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, and 2025 champion Michael Hollick banked a cheque for R480 000.
SUNSHINE TOUR IN 2026 January 22-25 Cell C Challenge, Killarney Jan 29-Feb 1 SDC Open, Zebula February 5-8 CIRCA Cape Town Open, Royal Cape Feb 12-15 NTT Data Pro-Am, Fancourt Feb 19-22 Jonsson Workwear Open, Durban CC Feb 26-Mar 1 Investec SA Open, Stellenbosch March 5-8 Joburg Open, Houghton March 12-15 Courier Guy Playoffs, TBA March 26-29 DNi Tour Championship, De Zalze
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 69
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025
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