Several former champions and a good mix of Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour players will be in action at the Durban Country Club.
Will it be a Sunshine Tour professional who comes out on top this week at the SA Open at Durban Country Club or will it be one of the overseas-based men who take home one of the oldest trophies in golf?
Daniel van Tonder has been in red-hot form on the Sunshine Tour, while Shaun Norris and Jonathan Broomhead have also had their good moments, but they’ll be up against a strong contingent of men who’ve come home to play in the Open, among them defending champion Dean Burmester, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace, who now all play on the LIV tour.
There are of course plenty other golfers who’ll believe they can take home the trophy this week, including former winners such as Andy Sullivan, Brandon Stone and Chris Paisley.
Quality field
Other players who’ll fancy their chances include recent DP World Tour winner at the Kenya Open, Jacques Kruyswijk, Dylan Frittelli, Robin Williams, Wilco Nienaber, and Johannes Veerman of the USA, the winner of last year’s Nedbank Golf Challenge.
In total, 156 players will start the tournament on Thursday.
The other carrot dangling in front of the players is the fact the top three who aren’t already qualified to play in the Open in July will get a spot in the field at Royal Portrush.
“I’m just proud to be the defending champion and to stand here as a South African having lifted that trophy. I have my name alongside so many great champions of this event,” said Burmester this week.
“I’m proud to be here and I’m proud to put up a defence of this special championship.”
He added: “It’s a good field this week, and it’s great that our Open can draw a field like this.”
Iconic venue
Grace, who won the title in 2020 at Randpark, said he was happy to be back playing in South Africa.
“These days, any week you tee it up, there is great competition out there. But it’s good. This is our flagship event on the Sunshine Tour, and returning to an iconic venue like this is great. Coming back to this championship as a former winner gives you that goosebump feeling when you walk in here,” said Grace
Norris is desperate to get his name on the trophy.
“This is the tournament that any South African golfer wants to win. My two DP World Tour wins are proof to me that my golf is good enough to compete with all the players on the DP World Tour,” said the 42-year-old who won December’s Alfred Dunhill Championship.
“So, with my game feeling as good as it is at the moment, I’m definitely going to go for a win in Durban.”
