Ken Borland

 

Defending champion Charl Schwartzel was less than enthusiastic about his chances at the Alfred Dunhilll Championship starting at Leopard Creek in Malelane today, saying his game was still a long way away from being good enough to win the European Tour event, although he does boast a wonderful record here.

Schwartzel was the winner on the highly-rated course next to Kruger National Park last year by four strokes over Englishman Richard Finch, while he ran away with the title in 2012, beating Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg by a whopping 12 shots – the third biggest winning margin in European Tour history. He also won the title in 2004 and finished runner-up in 2005, 06, 09 and 10.

But the swing troubles that have afflicted South Africa’s highest-ranked golfer all year were in clear view at Sun City last weekend. It was a hugely frustrating week for Schwartzel as there were glimpses of brilliance as he collected 17 birdies and an eagle over the four rounds, but that was undone by 12 bogeys and four double-bogeys as he finished in a tie for 14^th.

“It’s been the pattern the whole year, I’d get my game going, it would look like I was going to contend, and then one or two bad holes would make me fall back. And then I’d do it all over again, it’s a cycle that’s really frustrating. I’m making enough birdies to win, but mistakes are costing me so much.

“It’s just a swing that’s not repeating itself, it’s not consistent enough and I just have to keep working at it. So although this course has treated me very well over the years, it does something for my game, I think I’m still a long way away and my expectations are not very high,” Schwartzel said yesterday.

So the favourite’s tag should probably go elsewhere and Peter Uihlein, awarded the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year prize in 2013, has indicated his liking for the course, while Louis Oosthuizen, if he can solve his problems with the putter that saw him change grip midway through the Nedbank Golf Challenge, says he has unfinished business with Leopard Creek.

Sun City winner Danny Willett comes to Malelane with enormous confidence after that triumph, while other golfers who deserve some fanfare are Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey, Hennie Otto, Italian star Francesco Molinari and 2008 champion Richard Sterne.

But the South African admitted that he is another local not bringing a great game to Leopard Creek, although Otto is bullish about his chances of getting on to the podium for the second time this year.

 

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The open savanna grassland between Crocodile Bridge and Lower Sabie not only provides plenty of game on the sweetveld, pan-dotted basaltic plains, but many of the typical “bushveld” birds of Kruger National Park.

Arriving at Crocodile Bridge at mid-morning in March almost guarantees you a hot welcome and so it was that, upon my arrival from Mlawula in Swaziland, I entered one of the southernmost gates of Kruger in sweltering 35° heat.

Crocodile Bridge is acknowledged as one of the hottest, most humid places in South Africa and arriving towards mid-day meant most birds were keeping quiet trying to conserve energy.

But just two kilometres from the entrance gate there are two significant spots that provide reward.

The first is the Gezantfombi Dam (more on that later) and the second is the turnoff for the Nhlowa Road (S28), one of the best birding drives in Kruger Park, particularly in late summer when the relatively water-impervious basalt allows numerous pans to survive around the stunted Knob-thorn and Marula trees.

Turning east on to the Nhlowa Road, towards the Lebombo Mountains, both Lilacbreasted and European Rollers were quickly seen, followed by another pleasing migrant in the Lesser Grey Shrike.

Most of the typical Bushveld birds were all there, with the long grass and numerous perches proving ideal habitat for Shrikes, which included Redbacked and Longtailed as well as the Lesser Grey.

Sabota Lark, Yellowbilled and Grey Hornbill and Arrowmarked Babbler were all there too.

After travelling 17 of the 24km towards Lower Sabie, you reach the Ntandanyathi Hide, a spacious, solid wooden structure that overlooks a section of the Nhlowa River.

Three Bushveld beauties were waiting there for me in Woodland Kingfisher, Greenbacked Heron and Crested Barbet.

In temperatures around 35°, birding around water is one of the better options and Gezantfombi Dam had earlier produced European Bee-Eater, Redbilled Buffalo Weaver, Common Scimitarbill and Cardinal Woodpecker, while crossing into Kruger over the Crocodile River bridge had thrown up a Redfaced Cisticola, locally common and always good to see, as well as Southern Red Bishop and Brownhooded Kingfisher.

The thorn trees around the parking lot where you complete the formalities of getting into Kruger had some friendly Blue Waxbill, tame Southern Greyheaded Sparrows and, surprisingly, a Steelblue Widowfinch, which is an uncommon resident in the park.

Between the gate and Gezantfombi Dam, one gets a taste of the thick thorn thicket known as Gomondwane Bush that characterises the tar road between Crocodile Bridge and Lower Sabie, and this is prime habitat for the Whitecrowned Shrike, another localised bird, which was sharing a tree with the ubiquitous Rattling Cisticola.

A pod of Hippopotamus was keeping cool in Gezantfombi Dam, while Elephant, Plains Zebra, Greater Kudu, Giraffe, Waterbuck and Slender Mongoose were all spotted along the open grassland savanna of the S28.

Nearing the tar road, and with the temperature now up to 37°, Marabou Stork were soaring on the thermals and there was also a Brown Snake Eagle flying about. Fantailed Cisticola were chip-chip-chipping at lower levels above the grassland.

All that hot air had to lead to something and, sure enough, a huge storm hit while I was setting up camp at Lower Sabie. Trying to hammer your tent pegs into the concrete-like hard ground of the badly redesigned campsite while a deluge is falling from the heavens is not the ideal way to end your first day of birding in Kruger Park, but it could not detract from the thrill of being back in the bushveld.

Sightings list

Southern Red Bishop

Redfaced Cisticola

Brownhooded Kingfisher

Blue Waxbill

Southern Greyheaded Sparrow

Steelblue Widowfinch

Impala

Blue Wildebeest

Whitebacked Vulture

European Swallow

Whitecrowned Shrike

Rattling Cisticola

Burchell’s Starling

Cape Turtle Dove

European Bee-Eater

Forktailed Drongo

Hippopotamus

Blacksmith Plover

Egyptian Goose

Redbilled Buffalo Weaver

Common Scimitarbill

Cardinal Woodpecker

Lilacbreasted Roller

European Roller

Redbilled Quelea

Elephant

Lesser Grey Shrike

Sabota Lark

Redbacked Shrike

Yellowbilled Hornbill

Longtailed Shrike

Arrowmarked Babbler

Plains Zebra

Greater Kudu

Giraffe

Grey Hornbill

Waterbuck

Grassveld Pipit

Woodland Kingfisher

Greenbacked Heron

Crested Barbet

Spotted Flycatcher

Glossy Starling

Marabou Stork

Slender Mongoose

Brown Snake Eagle

Fantailed Cisticola

Grey Lourie

Laughing Dove