SA OPEN PREVIEW
New-look Country Club Hosts its 18th Open Upgraded layout should prove sterner examination, but still needs windy weather. By Stuart McLean
T HE EARLY HISTORY of the SA Open shows the championship was mostly played at coastal courses, with an occasional deviation to Maccauvlei or Parkview on the highveld during the 1920s and 1930s. Johannesburg had only five Opens between 1920 and 1960. Gary Player, Bobby Locke and Sid Brews won 30 Opens between them, yet only 10 of their victories were in Joburg. Which leads to the startling fact that when the 2025 SA Open begins at Durban Country Club on February 27 it will have been 5184 days since the championship was last held at a venue where strong coastal winds might be a factor in determining the outcome. Five inland venues did duty between 2011 and 2023 – Serengeti, Glendower, Randpark, Sun City and Blair Atholl. This followed 11 straight coastal Opens from 2001 to 2010.
Left: Ernie Els holding the trophy aloft at the Centenary Open. The new burn at Durban CC winds it way around the par-5 10th green, and 11th tee boxes.
70 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator