Ken Borland

South Africa’s two most iconic courses hosted their big events in December and winning scores of just five-under-par at Sun City and 13-under-par at Leopard Creek showed that they were excellent tests for the outstanding fields and the many international golfers included in them.

Johannes Veerman, an American who has campaigned mostly on the DP World Tour, prevailed in the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player Country Club with an inspired 69 on the gruelling final day.

There was no respite from the searing heat and tough layouts the following week in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek, with Shaun Norris also coming through the field, overcoming a six-shot deficit with a 67.

At Sun City, the prestige field had to contend with temperatures that reached 46° as well as the usual treacherous, shifting winds and nefarious pin-placements in the nooks of the clover-shaped greens. The heat was turned up even further in Malelane as a startling temperature of 50° was recorded on the second day, with irregular winds adding to the torment.

Romain Langasque tied for second in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, finishing one stroke behind Veerman after rounds of 70-70-73-71, and the fact that he was pretty chuffed to shoot around par indicated just how tough the conditions were.

“To shoot 70 is actually a very good score. If you shoot under-par here, you have played very well. The course plays very tough mostly because of the wind, which is constantly going anywhere, blowing one way and then completely the other direction. If you are just off the fairway, then it is very difficult to hit the green. You have to stay very patient, take a decision and see where the ball goes.

“The greens get firmer and firmer and it seems to just get tougher and tougher. Sometimes you will land in a very bad place, but that happens to everybody. Your attitude is so important,” Langasque said.

But the Frenchman also spoke about how wonderful the whole Sun City experience was.

“I’ve had good results in South Africa. But it’s not just about the golf, it’s the people too. There’s good food and a good hotel, the hospitality is something I really enjoy. So it’s a good week here, the course is always so unbelievable, but tough,” Langasque said.

Fit-again American star Will Zalatoris was delighted to finally make his Nedbank Golf Challenge debut, having first accepted an invite for the 2022 event but then getting injured. The 28-year-old spoke glowingly about the history of the tournament and how special walking on to the ninth green was with the plaques honouring all the previous winners decorating the pathway.

“I stay up late at night at home and watch this tournament, I’ve been doing it for a decade. So it’s special to play here for the first time, I was really upset to miss out previously because of my back surgery, it’s a tournament I’ve had circled on the calendar for a while.

“It’s Africa’s Major and the 18^th hole is the real deal with an awesome vibe all week, and I think it’s the toughest hole on the course. And the history of the tournament is special, you see all the past champions on the ninth green – that hole is my favourite – and that’s a really strong list with a lot of Hall-of-Famers,” Zalatoris said.

‘Stick to the fairways’ was also the mantra at Leopard Creek, according to Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult, who had to settle for a tie for second after shooting 74 on the last day.

“I enjoy playing this golf course and look forward to the challenge. I like what I see, most holes suit my eye, but some are very tough as well. It’s quite similar to Sun City in that you have to be on top of your game. There’s nowhere to hide, which is what I like, but some Leopard Creek holes do give you more of a margin for error.

“But there’s no way to bail out, you have to take on every shot. The greens are also slopey and they can tuck the pins like at Gary Player Country Club. It was tough out there, the wind was gusty and the temperature is more than 40°.

“But it’s a great course, it’s my first time here and I am really impressed. It’s even more important here to drive well, you’ve got to hit the ball straight, in the fairways, and then you can attack some pins, you expect some to be tucked; be in good positions in order to attack or even just to hit to the fat side of the green,” Kinhult said.

But a few extra minutes spent at the 13^th green, overlooking the Crocodile River and the Kruger National Park, is enough to convince anyone that it will all be okay.

“It’s an amazing course, I’ve never played anywhere with a national park right on their doorstep. The 13^th green is something else with its hippos and crocs. We’re very lucky to get to play here.

“I’m a massive animals fan and there is wildlife everywhere in the park. We were able to see elephant, lion and leopard. We only get a pigeon and a crow at home!,” a delighted Alex Fitzpatrick said.

To lay up and play it safe or to take on the shallow, sloping 18^th green is always the question golfers face at the end of their round at Leopard Creek, and on Sunday young Ryan van Velzen made the wrong choice and paid the price as he let the Alfred Dunhill Championship title slip from his grasp.

Shaun Norris, who was six shots back at the start of the final round, was the beneficiary in Van Velzen’s mental implosion, claiming arguably the most prestigious title of his career, as his tremendous five-under-par 67 took him to 13-under-par for the tournament.

Van Velzen was on 13-under as he reached the final hole, a maiden DP World Tour title in sight in just his third tournament as a fully exempt card-holder on the European circuit. A fantastic drive saw him split the fairway and take advantage of the downhill slope. But then the 23-year-old decided to go for the green with his second shot, and his ball bounced off the firm surface and over the back into the water surrounding the famous island green.

Needing a birdie to win the championship, the sensible play for Van Velzen was surely to lay up down the left of the fairway, opening up a comfortable wedge with lots of green to work with towards the back right pin-location. But instead of having a 15-footer to win, with par enough to put him in a playoff, Van Velzen was left with a high-pressure 15-footer for par just to stay alive in the tournament.

Unfortunately for one of South Africa’s great young talents, the putt slid past the hole and he was left in a tie for second place with John Parry (69) and overnight leader Marcus Kinholt on 12-under-par. Van Velzen shot level-par 72 on Sunday, going out in 34 as he birdied the third, fourth and sixth holes, but also dropped shots on the par-five second and par-three seventh. On the back nine, his error of judgement on the last hole was his second bogey, while the only birdie he could gather as the pressure mounted was on the par-four 14^th.

Norris, meanwhile, was intent on making a charge. The 42-year-old South African eagled the par-five second to immediately climb up the leaderboard. He picked up further birdies on the sixth and eighth holes, but they sandwiched a double-bogey on the par-three seventh, when he landed in the water.

Norris was inspired, however, on the back nine as he birdied the 11^th,13^th and 15^th holes, and then parred his way home in a bogey-free finish. He then had to wait more than an hour to see if his clubhouse lead of -13 would be overtaken.

“I tried to stay calm, just asking my wife how the kids are and what are our dinner plans. I had a target of 14 or 15-under in mind, thinking if I can post that early, then the leaders will have to chase that and the last four or five holes at Leopard Creek are very tricky. But I didn’t think 13-under would be strong enough,” Norris said after winning his second DP World Tour title and his fourth in South Africa.

“Words can’t describe the unbelievable feelings that are going through me. Thanks to God, my wife and my family because this last year has been very tough, with lots of ups and downs, it’s been all over the place. I’m over the moon.

“I stuck to my own thing, I focused on every shot and doing what I needed to do. The good start was massive, it puts you into a nice rhythm and I was very happy with the eagle. But then I made a blunder on seven, but I told myself not to worry about it, just let it happen,” an obviously emotional Norris said.

Angel Ayora, just 20 years old and playing his first season on the DP World Tour, raced to 14-under-par with four birdies in his first five holes. But a bogey on the par-four eighth would portend a troubled back nine. The Spaniard still reached the final hole on 12-under-par though, but was another to choose badly and fall victim to the folly of youth as he too went for the green in two from far back in the fairway, also landing in the water and finishing with a bogey.

That left him in a tie for fifth place with Darius van Driel on 11-under-par. South Africa’s Keenan Davidse produced one of the best rounds of the day, a 68, to finish on 10-under-par, in a tie for seventh with Andy Sullivan (70), Dale Whitnell (71) and Martin Couvra (71).

When Charl Schwartzel drew level again on the 12^th hole, Louis Oosthuizen knew his great friend and rival was not going to go away in the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, and he realised he would have to jack up his game if he hoped to win the famous Leopard Creek trophy for the first time.

Showing his big game temperament, Oosthuizen played beautifully through the middle of the back nine, reeling off three straight birdies from the 13^th hole. It meant he went into the daunting last three holes with a three-stroke lead, and he needed it in the sodden conditions.

Finding a fairway bunker on the par-four 17^th led to a bogey, and then his drive on the par-five 18th found the water down the right, creating an exciting finish as four-time champion Schwartzel was just off the green in two. Oosthuizen laid up his third well, and then nervelessly rolled in a tricky 18-foot putt for par to seal a two-stroke victory, his closing 69 taking him to 18-under-par.

“I knew I had to play well because Charl plays very well around this place and Christiaan Bezuidenhout started well too. Fortunately I made a few putts in the middle that let me get ahead because this is such a good finishing course, you need to hold on and it’s tough to be aggressive,” Oosthuizen said after his first win since his memorable SA Open triumph in 2018.

“I was a bit in-between what to do off the 18^th tee and I had to make par the hard way, because Charl hit a good drive and I knew he would go for the green in two. It wasn’t much fun after that tee-shot, but it feels good now!”

After Sunday’s play was limited to just seven holes for the leading group by thundershowers, Schwartzel started shakily on Monday with bogeys on the par-four eighth and 10^th holes. But he would trade those in for back-to-back birdies on the 11^th and 12^th holes to draw level again. But six successive pars then followed as Schwartzel was just not quite sharp enough to put more pressure on Oosthuizen, closing with a 71 for 16-under-par.

Moving beyond the ins and outs of their respective final rounds, perhaps Oosthuizen was due to win at Leopard Creek, given his pedigree and how badly he wanted the title after twice finishing second.

“Since first playing in this event in 2004, this has been one of the tournaments I’ve always wanted to win, but it took me a while. Like the SA Open, which was my last win, I had to wait a while and now I’m very happy. It’s really special to win here, maybe I should play more in South Africa.

“I was very focused because I really wanted to win and I felt my game was good enough to do it and I’ve been putting well enough. But it was just a fight and I had to make it count with the putter in the end,” Oosthuizen said.

A beautifully curled-in 35ft birdie putt on the 14^th hole was the 41-year-old’s highlight on the greens on the final day.

Bezuidenhout shot a four-under 68 to ensure he was always a lurking presence in the final round, eventually finishing third on 14-under-par.

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It was a day to test your patience at Leopard Creek on Sunday as thundershowers limited play to just over two hours of action, restricting the great title showdown between Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel to just seven holes which failed to break the deadlock between the two longtime friends.

Leaders Oosthuizen and Schwartzel, together with Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who began the final round five shots behind, teed off at 10am and were able to play four holes before the first storms moved over Malelane.

In that time, both Oosthuizen (2^nd hole) and Schwartzel (3^rd) managed to collect a birdie, while Bezuidenhout made his presence felt with birdies on the par-five second and par-four third holes to cut the gap to four strokes.

The lingering threat of lightning meant play was only able to resume at 4pm, and even then it only lasted 43 rather miserably wet minutes before thunder rumbled again and play was called off for the day.

Not much had changed in that time, although Oosthuizen must have had his heart in his mouth after he hit his tee-shot on the par-three seventh into the water. He showed his mettle, however, as he stroked in a 25ft putt to limit the damage to just a bogey.

Having just birdied the short par-four sixth after a lovely approach shot to six feet, it meant Oosthuizen dropped back to join Schwartzel on 16-under.

All three members of the final group began the final round smoothly, finding the fairways off the tee and hitting precision iron-shots. Bezuidenhout, however, had more success with the putter and he further cut the lead to three strokes as, straight after the lengthy weather delay, he rolled in a 20ft birdie putt on the par-three fifth hole.

Andy Sullivan was also cruising with two birdies in his first six holes, but he then bogeyed the par-four eighth to slip back to 11-under, five behind, alongside Germany’s Matti Schmid, who was three-under for his round.

Of the other South Africans besides the top three, Thriston Lawrence is accelerating up the leaderboard and is currently tied for eighth on eight-under, four-under for his round with three holes to play.

Jayden Schaper made a fast birdie-birdie start, but then went bogey-bogey and is level-par at the turn, also on eight-under overall.

Casey Jarvis sandwiched birdies at the first and third holes with a bogey at the par-five second, and then had a bit of a car crash on the ninth, with a double-bogey that dropped him to seven-under for the tournament, alongside Wynand Dingle.

The final round will only resume at 9am on Monday to allow the greenkeepers to ready the waterladen course.