Jayden Schaper: ‘Shane Lowry’s backup putter is in my bag; he doesn’t know.’ WITH STUART McLEAN
I AM COMPETITIVE BY NATURE, and growing up playing the junior tourna- ment circuit in South Africa my nickname among other boys and my mates was “Clutch.” They firmly believed I could pull off a crucial shot whenever required. My two momentous DP World Tour wins in December certainly came from “clutch” shots in two tense back-to-back playoffs – the first my hybrid out of the fairway bunker at Royal Johannesburg to set up an eagle putt, and then the pitch I holed at the Mauritius Open for another eagle. That bunker strike was a career best shot, and Mauritius was just insane.
tours. My swing is technically sound, and Grant assists me before events with advice regarding my game plan, align- ment, and setups. My swing is in a good place. ● ● ● Golf became such a big part of my life as a teenager that I left school (St Dunstan’s College) in Grade 9. I was not a good student, and because I was taking weeks off to play in tourna- ments, the teachers weren’t happy with my absences. That became an issue, as it was awkward having them upset with me. I completed my studies at a Tutor Centre (home schooling) which was initially on the Ebotse estate. I was joined there by Ryan Van Velzen and Casey Jarvis, who also now have DP World Tour cards, and Jordan Burnand. Coming from the same part of Gauteng, we’re all friends. ● ● ● I was 11 when I won the GolfRSA Under-13 title, in Mbombela. Dad suggested my goal should be to win all the under-age championships, and I’m the first to have achieved that. Next was Under-15s, then Under-19s. I had one last shot to win the Under-17s and pulled that off at Rustenburg. My biggest win as a junior was the 2019 Players Champion-
As a teenager I was impatient to get on to the course or the range, and that hasn’t changed. I love golf because the game is within your control; there’s no one to blame if you fail. My dad (Ryan) had a club in my hand when I was two, and at six I was competing in my first SA Kids event. Dad was a foot- baller in his youth, but back problems ended that, so he took up golf to engage with clients in his insurance business. We’re a close, grounded, church-going family, and I still live with my parents in our family home in Benoni. I travel so much during the year that it’s the best arrangement for me. ● ● ● My parents have been a huge sup- port throughout my career, encour- aging me and funding much of my travels as a junior. So special that mom (Yolanda) and dad were at Royal when I won for the first time as a professional at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. And again, the following week at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. We’ve had many family holidays in Mauritius, and I was so relaxed being there. ● ● ● I was used to winning regularly as a junior, but it took me nearly six years to win as a professional. Yet at no stage did I feel anxious about it. I always believed it would happen, and told myself to be patient. I’m a golfer who enjoys consistency, and I’d take a Top-
10 finish every week rather than being a streaky player who wins and misses cuts. I’m determined to go the distance. At Royal Johannesburg I was two-over through seven holes of my opening round, which was a shock, but I kept calm and played the back nine in 29 for a 67. That was satisfying. ● ● ● My run of good form started at the French Open last September when I found a new putter in the TaylorMade van and immediately took a liking to it. It belonged to Shane Lowry, but it was his spare putter, a backup, so I was allowed to take it. I’ve used that ever since; TaylorMade built him a re- placement. It’s a mallet Spider Tour Z with beautiful balance. I’ve never met Shane – he doesn’t play much on the DP World Tour – and he therefore doesn’t know that I appropriated his putter. My putting stats since then have been amazing. ● ● ●
ship at TPC Sawgrass. An in- vitational event, and I went to three of them. The Sta- dium is one of my favourite courses. I was an Interna- tional team member for the first Junior Presidents Cup in 2017, under the captaincy of Trevor Immelman, who I idolised as a young boy. I loved watching him swing when we went to watch the Nedbank Challenge.
JAYDEN SCHAPER
I tried a few coaches before settling down with Grant Veenstra at 13. He’s at my home club of Ebotse Links in Beno- ni, which has an unusual range in that we hit float- ing balls into a large lake. Grant travels extensively as he has several players to look after on various
DP WORLD TOUR
AGE: 24
2 WINS: ALFRED DUNHILL CHAMPIONSHIP & AFRASIA BANK MAURITIUS OPEN
LIVES: BENONI
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 11
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026
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