KURT DARREN/

SHAUN NORRIS/
RUAN DE SMIDT/
JAYDEN SCHAPER/
+ PLAYING EDITOR
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN

September 2017 | R34.90 | Other countries R30.61

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 SEPTEMBER 2017 /// COMPLEATGOLFER.COM

T E NT S
CO N
Instruction
48 PGA INSTRUCTION
Grant Hepburn
54 FITNESS
Garth Milne
57 PGA RULES
Theo Manyama

Focus
22 ROLLERCOASTER RIDE
Three years after winning his last Major, Rory
McIlroy is taking one step forward, two steps back
30 NO DOUBTING THOMAS

On the cover
22
The year’s final Major belong to Justin Thomas
36 MAN OF THE CENTURY

RORY
Ernie Els has played his 100th Major, and in the
process given golf fans a lifetime of memories
42 LONG LIVE THE HONEYMOON

McILROY
The planets are aligned for Shaun Norris after
getting married and making his Major debut
86 LEARNING CURVE
Ruan de Smidt is heading back to school, but this
time, it’s Qualifying School on the European Tour
91 FULL STEAM AHEAD
Top junior Jayden Schaper is riding the crest of
a wave of five victories in his last six events
96 FEAST FOLLOWS FAMINE
Flashback to when David Duval finally came
good – at the 1997 Tour Championship

103 CALENDAR
Regulars 52 GOLF RSA
The latest amateur golf
Your guide to September’s events
105 REPLAY
When Retief Goosen won the
7 WELCOME LETTER success stories 2004 Tour Championship
8 GALLERY 59 COLUMN 106 COLUMN
Images of the month Gary Lemke Andy Capostagno
13 OFFBEAT 68 ENVIRONMENT
The lighter side How Durban CC is dealing
14 QUIZ with environmental waste
Out and About
WARREN LITTLE/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

Test your knowledge 72 EQUIPMENT

16 #TWITTER
Fashion on the fairway 60 COURSE OF
Social media activity 80 HOME COMFORTS THE MONTH
Els for Autism Durban Country Club
18 PLAYING EDITOR
Louis Oosthuizen 84 CELEBRITY 70 EXTREME HOLE
column Kurt Darren Skukuza Golf Club

compleatgolfer.com 5
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WELCOME
We are at that seasonal turning point of the year
where you will see more golfers on the range
getting their swings ironed out and some of golf’s
major brands releasing their latest products.
A real indication of where we are in the
year is when preparations for events like
the Nedbank Golf Challenge get under
way, which will see some big names
coming to our shores. Let’s hope the
likes of Jon Rahm visit Sun City in 2017
and give us a treat.
In addition, the Africa Golf Summit,
which is about growing the game
on the continent, is taking place
from 5-6 September.
However, with the Majors now behind
us there is one thing that still irks me:
why are the top-ranked players in the
world not as consistent as they were in
the days of Ernie Els and Tiger Woods?
We could probably throw Jack Nicklaus,
Gary Player and Arnold Palmer into that
mix too.
Speaking of Ernie, we reflect on his 100
Majors he has just completed and we hope
the feature on ‘The Big Easy’ will inspire
your next round. A remarkable statistic
I came across is that Els spent a total of
748 weeks inside the top 10 of the World
Ranking. I don’t think we are going to
see that longevity matched for some
time to come.
But, this still leaves the question: why
are the top players not winning week
after week? I think it is due to the fact
the competition on Tour has changed.
It’s similar to what has happened in
world rugby with teams like Argentina
and Japan becoming contenders on the
world stage.
Due to improved coaching, golfers
are getting better and the competitive
level is at an all-time high, proving that
if you are on your game that week, you
can win.
Which brings me to our cover feature
this month.
Body transformation, wedding bells
and new sponsorships have thrust
Rory McIlroy into the limelight, but
many are questioning whether we
will ever see the same form and
ability he showed when he arrived on
the scene and then picked up his first
Major in 2011.
Despite some doubts, the popular
young Northern Irishman is still showing
the golf world that he is not done and that
there are many more wins on the cards
for him.
If any of you follow our local pros
you will enjoy our feature on Shaun
Norris who won the Japan Golf Tour
Championship to add to his collection
of events. Norris turned pro in 2002
and has had a number of wins on the
Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour, and now
his two wins on the Japan Golf Tour.
One thing is for sure, South Africa does
not lack for talent and we again have a
mouth-watering lineup of features in
this issue that will keep you occupied for
hours, including coaching tips from Golf
RSA top dog Grant Hepburn, fitness and
fashion trends.
Friends, it’s that time of the year to
get your game on and let’s hope the
ball behaves and stays in play. See
you on the fairways!
Wayne Willmore
Publisher

Editorial Director Gary Lemke
Group Deputy Sports Editor
Philippa Byron
Chief Copy Editor Nick van Rensburg
Senior Copy Editors Alasdair Fraser,
Jacques Liebenberg
Copy Editor Mark Salter
Proofreader Chris Whales
Art Director Stuart Apsey
Designers Johan Kleynhans,
Mohammed Hoosain, Jeremy
Wessels, Bulelani Kheswa,
Melikhaya Mdungwana
Repro Manager Karin Livni
Deputy Repro Manager
Adri Papakonstantinou
Senior Repro Artists Stefan Roodt,
Lindsay Cockcroft
Repro Artists Lauren Bubb, Jody
Ludick, Michelo Jere, Gemma Priest
Junior Repro Artists David du Plessis,
Morné Steenekamp
Playing Editor Louis Oosthuizen
Contributors Andy Capostagno, James
Corrigan, Mike Green, Grant Hepburn,
Gary Lemke, Theo Manyama, Garth
Milne, Wade Pretorius, Mark Sampson,
Michael Vlismas
Production Manager Rushaan Holliday
Deputy Production Manager
Maggie Wasserfall
Ad Traffic Controller Sajidah Allie
Ad Design Manager Brumilda Fredericks
Ad Designers Kristin de Villiers,
Christine Posthumus, Abduraouf
Bessick
Group Sales Director Clive Kotze
Publisher Wayne Willmore
Sales Director Sports Niall Meegan
Project Manager Dreyer Hoffman
Advertising Sales Wayne Willmore,
Jason Rogers, Niall Meegan,
Johmar Nell
Chief Executive Officer Kevin Ferguson
Managing Director Tony Walker
Production Director Bilqees Allie
Financial Director Lindsey
Makrygiannis
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CEO’s PA Kovi Naidoo
Photography HM Images, Gallo
Images, Getty Images, Reuters/
Action Images
Cover Photo Getty Images/Gallo
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compleatgolfer.com 7
GALLERY

Justin Thomas comes

out of the bunker on the
18th green on his way
to a closing 68 and two-
shot victory at The PGA
Championship in Quail
Hollow, North Carolina,
on eight-under 276. Two
long-range birdies on
the back nine had given
him a three-shot cushion
for his first Major title,
with his bogey on the
last securing a two-
shot victory over Louis
Oosthuizen, Italy’s
Francesco Molinari and
American Patrick Reed.
 MONTANA PRITCHARD/WARREN LITTLE/ROSS KINNAIRD/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

compleatgolfer.com
9
 Compleat Golfer’s playing editor Louis Oosthuizen shakes hands with his partner, Grayson Murray
of the US, after a birdie on the 18th gave him a six-under total of 278 and a share of second place
at The PGA Championship. Oosthuizen’s spectacular 34-yard chip-in eagle at the par-five 15th was
blunted by two bogies on the last nine holes.

10 compleatgolfer.co.za
compleatgolfer.com
 GALLERY

The rapturous crowd turned out in force to witness American Justin Thomas win his first Major title. His three-
shot lead on the 18th tee made the closing bogey irrelevant for his fourth victory of the season after last year’s
CIMB Classic in Malaysia and two January events in Hawaii, the Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open.
 OFFBEAT
At the 1940 US Open, Ed
‘Porky’ Oliver shot 71 in the
fourth round for a total of 287
to get into a playoff, but he and
five others were disqualified
for starting their final round
ahead of schedule. With a storm
brewing, the six players dashed
to the 1st tee. Former USGA
administrator Joe Dey was the
starter, but he was having lunch
at the time. A marshal told the
players not to start before their
scheduled tee time, but they
didn’t listen and teed off.
At the 1966 Pensacola Open,
after shooting a second-round
67 to go along with his opening-
round 63, Doug Sanders had
a four-shot lead. But after the
round he forgot to sign his
card and signed dozens of
autographs instead. While he
was in the press room he was
told he had been disqualified
for not signing the card.
A golfer at Donald Trump’s
Palm Beach golf retreat had the
most expensive birdie on record
in 2001. He was ordered to pay
$2 500 to an animal rescue
FUNNY BONE
A couple has played golf every day for 50
years. One day the wife says, ‘Honey, to
celebrate five decades of golf and marriage,
let’s start off with a clean slate and confess
all our past wrongs.’
‘OK,’ the husband says. ‘Do you remember
that blonde secretary who worked for me
20 years ago? Well, I had an affair with her.’
And the wife says, ‘That’s nothing. Before
we met, I had a sex change.’
And the husband says, ‘Ag no, don’t tell
me that. And all this time you’ve been
hitting from the red tees!’
league and $800 in court costs after clubbing
an exotic black swan to death with his driver.
He maintained he was defending other golfers.
Mike Reasor holds the record for the most
strokes over the final 36 holes of a PGA
tournament. After making the cut at the 1974
Tallahassee Open, he went horse riding. But he
was thrown from the horse and dislocated his
shoulder, damaged knee ligaments and tore
rib cartilage. To finish the tournament he used
a 5-iron, one-handed, and shot 123 and 114.
David Terpoilli had a remarkable scorecard
at Whitmarsh CC in October 1994, shooting
123-over-par 193. However, he made a hole-in-
one on the 16th hole. His back nine scorecard
read 9, 21, 9, 16, 11, 13, 1, 11, 9 (100).
LPGA Tour star Jan Stephenson received
$4 000 for a hole-in-one at an exhibition
event in Japan in 1985. She then phoned
her boyfriend in the US and they had an
argument that lasted nearly two hours. Hotel
staff gave her a phone bill for $3 200. ‘It was
a bad decision on my part,’ Stephenson said.
‘Later, I made another bad decision, I married
the guy.’ The marriage lasted slightly longer
than the phone call.

WHO AM I?
BETTMANN/JEFF HORNBACK/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

I turned professional in 1987, so I’ve been a pro for 30 years. As I child

I suffered an injury to my left eye in a game of cowboys and Indians and
despite laser surgery to correct the situation, I lost almost all vision in the
eye. However, I managed to win nine tournaments on the Sunshine Tour
and I had 111 top-10 finishes. I’m still active and played at the Zimbabwe
and Zambian Opens this year. I also switched to the Senior Tour in 2016
and I won the SA Senior Masters at Witbank GC, beating James Kingston
and Steve van Vuuren in a playoff. Answer: page 17

compleatgolfer.com 13
QUIZ
Know Your Cup
The Presidents Cup will be played
from 28 September to 1 October.
Here are 12 tough questions to
get you warmed up for the event
The Ryder Cup and The
Presidents Cup are golf’s
premier matchplay
competitions. The Ryder
Cup is between the United
States and Europe, whereas
at The Presidents Cup
the United States face an
International team comprised
of countries outside Europe.
Though both events are
held every two years and
each team alternates as
host, the Ryder Cup is
played in even-numbered
years and The Presidents
Cup (since 2003) in odd-
numbered years. The
Presidents Cup began
in 1994 and was modelled
on the Ryder Cup.
Here are four differences
between the two:
1. Four days instead of three:
The Ryder Cup is played over
three days, cramming eight
matches into the schedule
on Friday and Saturday
before Sunday singles. The
Presidents Cup offers one
more day of golf and six
more matches in total.
2. Everybody plays: Because
of the expanded format at The
Presidents Cup, all 12 players
on each team are required to
play in the nine foursomes
and nine fourball matches
played from Thursday to
Saturday. The Ryder Cup has
four players sitting out of each
session, and no requirement
that everybody plays.
3. The Americans up
their game: For reasons
1. There have been 11 stagings
of The Presidents Cup. One
of them, at Fancourt in 2003,
was tied 17-17 as darkness fell.
Of the other 10, how many
have the United States won?
2. Nick Price is captaining
the International team for
the third time, the same
number as Gary Player, Peter
Thomson and Fred Couples.
Who has captained a team
the most, four times?
3. Who has made the most
Presidents Cup appearances?
4. Which International golfer
is the youngest competitor
to have played at The
Presidents Cup?
5. Which United States golfer
is the oldest competitor The
Presidents Cup has seen?
6. Which South African golfer
has appeared in the most
Presidents Cup events?
7. That golfer is tied at the top
of most International team
Presidents Cup appearances.
unexplained, the US players
seem to have a better time
at The Presidents Cup, which
results in better play.
4. No ties on Sunday:
A match can end in a tie at
both competitions, but not
on Sunday at The Presidents
Cup. Players who finish tied
will continue in sudden death,
adding extra drama.
With whom does he share
the record?
8. There have been 11 South
African golfers to have
played at The Presidents
Cup since 1994. Three of
them have only appeared
in one tournament. Who
are they?
9. Which country has had
the most individual golfers
represent them at The
Presidents Cup?
10. Which International team
golfer, recently in the news
for criticising Rory McIlroy,
has the highest winning
percentage for his team
over the years?
11. Which Presidents Cup
rookie played at the 2015
event and went on to win
a Major the following year?
12. Who became the first
International pair to win
four matches, playing
together, at a Presidents
Cup match, in 2015?

together, at a Presidents Cup match. Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods, in 2009, were previously the only pair to have achieved this.
2016 PGA Championship. 12. Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace became the first International pair to win four matches, playing
was one of five US rookies in 2015 – along with Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Chris Kirk and JB Holmes – and he went on to win the
He is followed on the International team by Mike Weir (58.33%) and Greg Norman and Geoff Ogilvy (both 53.57%). 11. Jimmy Walker
have had 11 players and Japan six. 10. Australia’s Steve Elkington. He won 10 of his 19 matches for a winning percentage of 60.53.
had 17 players representing the International team, with Adam Scott making the most appearances for them (seven). South Africa
Allem (1994), Rory Sabbatini (2007) and Richard Sterne (2013) have only competed once at The Presidents Cup. 9. Australia have
STAN BADZ/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. 7. Vijay Singh has also played in eight Presidents Cups for the International team. 8. Fulton
US was 49 years and 353 days when he competed at the 2003 event. 6. Ernie Els has played in eight Presidents Cups – in 1996, 1998,
between 1994 and 2015. 4. Ryo Ishikawa of Japan was 18 years and 21 days when he competed at the 2009 event. 5. Jay Haas of the
States in 1988 (they lost for the only time in their history) and again in 2003, 2005 and 2007. 3. Phil Mickelson of the US, 11 times
1. The United States have won nine, the International team once and there has been one tie. 2. Jack Nicklaus captained the United
ANSWERS

14 compleatgolfer.com
I N T RO D U C I N G

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FOR COMPLETE
P E R F O R M A N C E.
N E W T I T L E I S T 9 1 7 D R I V E R S. M A X I M U M D I S TA N C E,
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Learn more at titleist.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA

14 August
PGA Tour
TWITTER
@PGATOUR
Justin and Jordan. From
minors to majors.

Justin Thomas
@JustinThomas34
Want to thank @NetJets
for the upgrade so I had
a seat for this bad boy!

@JustinThomas34
Hoping I wake up
tomorrow and this
isn’t all a dream

Tiger Woods Brooks Koepka

@TigerWoods
Congrats JT!!!! Way to rise
above the carnage and out
execute everyone on that
back nine. @JustinThomas34
@BKoepka
Showed a lot of class
and grit down the stretch.
Congrats, #PGAChamp
@JustinThomas34!

Bubba Watson PGA Tour

@bubbawatson @PGATOUR
So proud of @JustinThomas34! Rickie and Justin.
Amazing to watch him grow Respect all around.
in the game of golf. Congrats What a moment
on your 1st Major!

16 compleatgolfer.com
Smylie Kaufman Ernie Els
@SmylieKaufman10 @TheBig_Easy
So pumped for my Congratulations
boy JT!!!! Unbelievable @JustinThomas34!!
performance today by #PGAChamp!! The
@JustinThomas34! first of many more
Can’t wait to celebrate to come for you

The European Tour Michael Phelps

@EuropeanTour
The first player under
25 to win their first Major
at the #PGAChamp in
82 years
@MichaelPhelps
Big shout out to
@JustinThomas34!!!
Congrats homie! Hell
of a final round

Louis Oosthuizen
@Louis57TM
I didn’t really make any putts (until the last!) but
gave it everything. Thanks for all your messages
and congratulations to @JustinThomas34

@Louis57TM
Just finished my career grand slam seconds... “I’ll rise up”

Who Am I? (from page 13)

Andre Cruse
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN

COLUMN
All to Play For
Compleat Golfer’s playing
editor is Louis Oosthuizen and
this month he tells us about his
PGA Championship success
The Majors are over so
I thought I’d share my
experiences. Here I’m
putting on the second
green at the Masters. I
finished tie-41st, despite
two rounds under par

I played this bunker shot

on the 16th hole during
a third-round 68 at the
US Open at Erin Hills,
where I finished tie-23rd
 Well, that was close and
a birdie on the final hole
of The PGA Championship
meant I have now finished
second at all four Majors.
Obviously I’d have liked those
seconds to have been wins, but
this was my best result of 2017.
It was great to be in
contention again and I’ll be
raring to finally add to my 2010
Open Championship win when
2018’s Majors come around.
The depth in our sport is
amazing and winning a Major
STUART FRANKLIN/ROB CARR/ANDREW REDINGTON/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
the course was quite wet in the
lead-up to the tournament.
But the greens were quick
and it was pointed out to me that
I was ranked No 1 on the Tour in
terms of putts from three feet
and that I had not missed from
that distance all year.
Ultimately I finished in a tie
for second, two shots behind and
the long putts didn’t drop. It was
quite an eventful tournament for
me because in the third round
I bent my 8-iron hitting the root
of a tree and Ping built a new
It was great to be in contention again and I’ll be
raring to add to my 2010 Open Championship win
As I said at the beginning I had changed my schedule
of the year, I had two goals for for 2017 to spend more time
2017. One was to put myself at home in the US, allowing
in with a chance at the Majors me to see more of the family
and Quail Hollow was a reward and hopefully earn valuable
for all the hard work I’d put in. points heading into the
The second goal I had was to FedExCup playoffs.
ensure I had enough FedExCup I’ve also been able to ink a few
points accumulated early on to more dates into my diary and I’ll

is so tough, but congratulations
to those who won this year:
Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka,
Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
We’re certainly seeing a lot of
first-time Major champions.
Heading into The PGA
Championship at Quail Hollow,
I was hitting the ball well
enough. I played the front
nine in practice with Charl
Schwartzel and knew it would
be tough and long, also because
club for me overnight.
I flexed my right arm a few
times as I certainly could feel
it, but on Sunday I wore a strip
which helped free the muscle
down my arm and allow me
a proper golf swing.
After the disappointment
of missing the cut at The Open
at Royal Birkdale, it was good
to be in the weekend mix and
have that nervous energy on
the Sunday.
not be on the back foot when
September came round.
I went into The PGA
Championship in 46th position,
having played 14 tournaments.
By the end of the weekend I had
moved up to 33rd before the
playoffs. It gave me plenty to
look forward to before the Dell
Technologies Championship
at TPC Boston and the BMW
Championship at Conway
Farms Golf Course.
be heading home in November
to tee it up at the Nedbank Golf
Challenge at Sun City. I’ll also
be taking part at the AfrAsia
Bank Mauritius Open at the end
of November and I’ll play at the
Joburg Open too. It will be a great
time to catch up with familiar
faces, but also to hopefully be
able to say thank you to those
fans who have supported me
week in and week out while
I’m on Tour.

This is where I was left I was pretty happy after

playing from after my drive finishing second, two
on the 1st hole of my second shots back, at The PGA
round at The Open. I missed Championship. My right
the cut at Royal Birkdale, arm was strapped after
but vowed to come back I jarred it hitting a tree
stronger. It’s always an root in the third round
amazing week

compleatgolfer.com 19
 PLAYING EDITOR
LO0002 Compleat Golfer Advertorial FA.pdf 1 2017/08/02 2:12 PM

CM

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CY

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LO0002 Compleat Golfer Advert FA.pdf 1 2017/08/02 2:18 PM

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20 compleatgolfer.com
 IDE
OLLERCOASTER

Three years after

winning his last Major,
the Northern Irishman
is taking one step
forward, two steps back.
By James Corrigan

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

END-OF-YEAR W
3

9 10
39
/GETTY IMAGES

1 182 1 309 232

 W
hen you
possess the
wealth of Rory
McIlroy, you
can easily brush
off the notion
that a $10-million
prize can rescue
another Majorless
season. For the
Northern Irishman,
the FedExCup playoffs
were never going to be an exercise in
gaining yet more noughts for his bank
balance but rather for giving his golfing
year a little validity.
Of course, McIlroy did the same in 2016.
The Big Four came and went without
the game’s superstar ever truly getting
into contention, so he marched on to the
PGA Tour’s end-of-campaign spectacular
with something to prove. And to witness
McIlroy catching and overhauling Dustin
Johnson on that final day at East Lake was
to witness this swaggering swashbuckler
in his pomp.
This was McIlroy at his very best, this
was McIlroy at his most thrilling, defying
the pressures to rake back a three-shot
deficit on the last three holes to force a
playoff with two Americans, Ryan Moore
and Kevin Chappell. And then after
watching in despair as two putts for the
win somehow stayed above ground, he
composed himself to win on the fourth
extra hole, converting a 15-footer to deny
Moore before falling into the arms of his
caddie, JP Fitzpatrick.
Looking on, Johnson could not believe
it. McIlroy had just lifted a fortune out of
his pocket, the difference between first
and second in the standings amounting
to more than $7-million. And, not only
that, but the galleries were chanting
‘Rory, Rory, Rory’ by the denouement.
Well, when it comes to being partisan,
genius knows no borders.
If McIlroy had not won the shootout, he
ROSS KINNAIRD/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

would have finished third in the FedExCup.

No wonder he celebrated so strenuously.
No doubt, the Majors mean infinitely more
to McIlroy, but this was the biggest payday
of his career.
How different this scenario was to The
PGA Championship eight weeks before.

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

WORLDRANKING
1 1 3 2 4
6

(As at 14 August)

compleatgolfer.com 23
 RORY McILROY

When McIlroy missed the cut at Baltusrol,

he was despondent, referring to his
performance on the greens as ‘pathetic’.
He sought out Phil Kenyon, the Lancastrian
putting coach who works with the likes of
Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose.
‘I think you need weeks like that. I’ve
always benefited from things like that in
my career,’ McIlroy said. ‘It was blatantly
obvious what I needed to do, in terms of
fixing my putting. I started on a process
to do that, and I didn’t think results were
going to come as quickly as they did.
The great thing about this FedExCup is
you have something to play for after the
Major season. I really wanted to at least
give myself a chance in the playoffs.’
And after another indifferent year,
starting with a rib injury that worsened
after the SA Open, McIlroy had viewed
the FedExCup as a chance to stick his
hand up again, like he had last year.
The winning cheques are all well and
good, but it’s the actual winning that
counts for more.
But McIlroy cut a dejected figure after
a final-round 68 left him in a tie for 22nd
at The PGA Championship.

‘The great thing about

this FedExCup is you have
something to play for
after the Major season’
‘I don’t know what I’m going to do,’ he
said. ‘You might not see me until next
year. You might see me in a couple of
weeks’ time. It really depends.’
McIlroy complained of spasms in his
left rhomboid (upper back) and also said
the inside of his left arm was numb.
‘I must have a chat with [fitness coach]
Steve McGregor about it and see what
we need to do. But the more I play, it’s
just not allowing it time to heal 100%.’
After sustaining the rib injury at the SA
Open in January, his 2017 has been painful
in more ways than one. ‘If I’m capable of
playing, I feel like, ‘‘Why shouldn’t you?’’
But then, at the same time, if you are not
capable of playing at your best, why should
you play? It’s a Catch-22.’
There are those who look at the
28-year-old and see a representative of
his age, a ridiculous talent dulled by the
ridiculous amounts of greenback piling
up in front of him. Steve Elkington, the
STAN BADZ/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

former Major winner, gave this viewpoint

stark expression in June, in the hours after
McIlroy missed the cut at Erin Hills.
McIlroy was on board a private jet flying
back to his Florida home when he came
under social media onslaught from the

compleatgolfer.com 25
RORY McILROY
Australian. Having watched McIlroy
fail to make the US Open weekend for
the second year in succession, Elkington,
who won the 1995 PGA Championship,
tweeted: ‘Rory is so bored playing golf
… without Tiger [Woods] the threshold
is 4 majors with 100 mill in bank.’
McIlroy had signed a deal with
equipment maker TaylorMade the
previous month which was estimated
to be worth $100-million over 10 years
and which hauled his annual off-course
earnings to approximately $25-million.
McIlroy hit back on Twitter as soon as
he landed.
‘More like 200 mill ... not bad for a “bored”
28 year old ... plenty more where that came
from,’ McIlroy posted alongside a screenshot
of his Wikipedia entry which listed his
achievements in the game. And so it went
back and forth with Elkington saying Jack
Nicklaus ‘never mentioned his total cash’.
‘You’re the 200 mill guy,’ he told McIlroy.
‘With every other part of
my game, I have ownership
of it. The putting has never
felt that way’
26 compleatgolfer.com
In truth, McIlroy would have been far
wiser not to become embroiled in spats
such as this. Indeed, he knew he should
not react and deleted his reply ‘about
five times’. But eventually, in his fury,
he pressed the send button.
Cue the backlash. While many ‘liked’
his retort, there were also those who
thought the ‘200 million’ part flippant
and, at worst, boastful. McIlroy obviously
regretted it, and no wonder. He is the last
person to make a show of his wealth. He
asked his wife, Erica, to change his Twitter
password and never to tell him what it
was. He was logging off for good.
Yet beneath all this social media
knockaboutery was a more serious point
which pertains to McIlroy’s profession
itself. He allowed Elkington under his
skin and, although McIlroy claimed it
was ‘because he is a former Major winner
and someone who should realise how
hard golf is at times’, it still proved that,
in sport, there are few things as brittle
as a golfer’s psyche.
Elkington is a renowned loudmouth
who is nowhere near McIlroy’s level as
a golfer or, most definitely, as a human
being. He should not be able to prey on
any insecurity when it comes to McIlroy.
That he was able to, is because golf is
this most maddening of sports which
ensures that the competitor’s mind is
beset by self-doubt. Even when that
competitor seemingly has everything
in the world. In fact, especially when that
competitor seemingly has everything
in the world. Everything but the season
he craves.
To think, 2017 began with those joyous
scenes in January when huge crowds
descended on Glendower Country Club
near Johannesburg to see McIlroy beaten
by Englishman Graeme Storm in sudden
death. McIlroy enjoyed the experience
so much he pledged to return, but, in
terms of his physical well-being, he
was hurting.
By the summer, the putting had become
a problem again and it was one McIlroy
tried to fix himself. ‘With every other part
of my game, I have ownership of it. The
putting has never felt that way,’ he said.
Kenyon should not have worried; McIlroy
retained his services. It was just that he felt
too robotic. Perhaps he had listened to Paul
TIM CLAYTON/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
 C H O O S E T H E B E ST
FO R YO U R G A M E.

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RORY McILROY

19 TOP CAREER WINS

2009 Dubai Desert Classic
2010 Quail Hollow Championship
2011 The Open Championship
2012 The PGA Championship, Deutsche Bank Championship,
BMW Championship, DP World Tour Championship, Honda Classic
2014 The PGA Championship, The Open Championship,
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, BMW PGA Championship
2015 WGC-Cadillac Match Play, DP World Tour Championship,
Dubai Desert Classic, Wells Fargo Championship
2016 Deutsche Bank Championship, Tour Championship,
Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

not his friend. That is why he elected to

McGinley, his friend and former Ryder Cup
captain, who had this to say after watching
him crash out at the Irish Open.
‘Initially Rory had a lot of success with
Phil, but my worry would be he has lost
that creativeness, that touch, that feel
in technical thoughts. My mechanics are
good enough to start the ball on line and
now it’s all about getting myself in the
right frame of mind.
‘Look at a six-year-old. Give them a
putter and a ball and tell them to hole
dismiss Fitzgerald, the bagman he had
been with for nine years and with whom
he had won four Majors.
The split came in the wake of him
finishing fourth at The Open Championship
and few people saw it coming. The reasons
McIlroy gave shone a spotlight on the
state of his competitive mind. ‘Sometimes
to preserve a personal relationship, you
have to sacrifice a professional one,’ he
said. ‘I was getting very hard on him on the
course and I don’t want to treat somebody,
anybody, like that. I felt like it was the right
thing to do and I don’t think there was any
good time to do it.
‘It was a tough decision to make, but I’m
trying to take ownership of my game a bit
more and take more responsibility.’
Ah, the ‘R’ word again. In the year that
McIlroy got married, he has tried to become
his own man and his own golfer. But the
fates and his game have colluded against
him. As he has struggled with his putting
and his wedge play, Jordan Spieth, four
years his junior, has won an Open to get
within one Major of him. Nobody would
have predicted that when McIlroy won
back-to-back Majors in 2014.
‘It’s amazing, it wasn’t that long since
we were sat here thinking “Rory’s the new
Tiger, he’s our new superstar” and it only
seemed a question of how far into double
figures he would go with Majors – it was
all about him,’ McGinley told me.
Now the narrative is if and when McIlroy
can get back on track. All he can do is
keep the faith. ‘It’s hard to stand in front
of a camera every single time and say to
you guys, it’s close; because I sound a bit
like a broken record after a few weeks,’
McIlroy said. ‘But really, it’s not far away.
I’m positive about it. I’m excited about my
game. I feel like I’m doing a lot of good
things. And again, it’s just putting it all
together. Putting it all together, not just for
ANDREW REDINGTON/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

– that ability to be an artist. That’s when
Rory is at his best. It’s not when he has
his mind full of structure.’
McIlroy seemed to agree. ‘With Phil, I’ve
made some really good strides in terms of
what I’m doing technically,’ he said. ‘After
the 2016 PGA, I definitely needed work on
my stroke. But I’ve become bogged down
it. There’s no thought. They somehow
are just able to do it. It’s about getting
back to that mentality and that feel
and getting out of my own way.’
McIlroy was blocking McIlroy’s
path. He admitted as much. He knew
he had to free up and let it happen.
But he was also aware that time was
one day but for four days; and not just for
four days, to do it week in and week out.’
The FedExCup was supposed to again
afford him that opportunity. ‘I’m capable
of playing well enough to give myself a
chance in it [despite the spasms],’ he said. ‘At
the same time, April is a long way away. The
Masters is the next big thing on my radar.’

28 compleatgolfer.com
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DOUBT
ING
Yet another first-time champion
makes it eight in the last nine
Majors. By Gary Lemke
T o say Justin Thomas has been
knocking on the door that leads
to the Major champions’ locker room
is an understatement. A close friend
of Jordan Spieth for nearly half their
24 years, the magic is rubbing off.
Golfing genius is just one thing. Making
American golf great again is another.
Before The PGA Championship at Quail
Hollow much of the talk had been whether
or not Spieth could complete a career Grand
Slam, this being the only tournament
missing from his Major collection.
Spieth’s opening 72 wasn’t exactly
picking up from where he left off at

compleatgolfer.com 31
 2017 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

and six in each of the second and fourth.

The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale,
but it was still within touch, a handful of
shots behind first-round co-leader Kevin
Kisner, while Thomas signed for a two-over
73, which meant his first priority would be
ensuring he didn’t get involved in the traffic
jam around the cut line. Those who had
their money on him needn’t have worried.
While Kisner blazed a trail at the top of
the leaderboard with a second successive
67 – eight under at halfway was impressive
indeed – a five-under 66 brought Thomas
right into view heading into the weekend.
Hideki Matsuyama, the ultra-consistent
Japanese player looking to become only
the second Asian to win a Major, had also
rocketed through the field with a 64.
The table was indeed being set for what
proved to be a weekend that ultimately
was going to see the 24-year-old Thomas
come home on the Sunday and win his
first Major, an eight-under 276 being two
shots better than a three-way scramble
record and in finishing ninth at Erin Hills
he’d broken through to a first Major
top-10 placing.
As we zeroed in on the statistics after the
completion of the tournament, there were
a couple of them that showed why it fell
into place for Thomas at Quail Hollow.
Perhaps most surprisingly is that he
was No 1 for driving distance throughout
the week, with an average of 328 yards
per drive. It’s surprising, because Thomas
sees himself as an old-fashioned type
of golfer. ‘I still believe in the old saying
of “drive for show, putt for dough”. It will
always be true. Given a choice of 15 more
yards or making another 30-footer every
round, I’ll take making the putt. Dude,
that’s four shots a week. And watching
those putts drop would be more fun than
bombing it out there.’
Going into the final Major of the year, he
was ranked only 15th in driving distance,
but at Quail Hollow he dominated the field.
No other player made 20 birdies during
the week.
Victory moved him up to No 6 in the
world and at the end of the Major season
there were still three players in the top 10
who had not yet won a Major. Given the
way the ‘newbies’ are coming to the party,
you can go down to the bookies right now
and venture that one of Matsuyama (world
No 2), Jon Rahm (No 7) or Rickie Fowler
(No 10) will break their duck in 2018.
Thomas’ win at Quail Hollow made him
the eighth first-time Major champion in the
last nine tournaments. It is an unparalleled
streak in the men’s game which started
with Jason Day’s success at the 2015 PGA
Championship. He was followed by Danny
Willett (2016 Masters), Dustin Johnson (2016
US Open), Henrik Stenson (2016 Open),
Jimmy Walker (2016 PGA Championship),
Sergio Garcia (2017 Masters) and Brooks
Koepka (2017 US Open), before Spieth’s
heroics at Royal Birkdale brought that
run to a stop with his third Major title.
Thomas had been building towards
his crowning moment. Those who follow
the game closely had felt it was only
a matter of when, not if, the 24-year-old
would break through. In fact, in the August
issue of Compleat Golfer, in previewing
the PGA Championship, the magazine had
focused on Thomas under the headline
‘Written in the Stars’ and introduced him
as ‘one of the most exciting talents on
the PGA Tour looks destined for stardom’.
It proved to be prophetic.
‘I’m becoming a smarter golfer, giving
myself more chances, and when I get into
trouble I’m looking to just get out of it and
make par, generally accepting things more.
I realise I don’t need to play my best to win
– I just need to play smart,’ the American
had said. And at Quail Hollow, none proved
smarter than him.
For Oosthuizen, it was another case of so
close but so far, although the South African
will be happy with the way he rebounded
WRITTEN
STARS
THE
IN

One of the most exciting talents

on the PGA Tour looks destined
for stardom. By Gary Lemke

for second, a group that included South
Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen.
He wasn’t too bad on the greens either,
finishing fourth in terms of putts made.
F
rom the man Thomas for 10 years, which
who produced is to say since the pair were
the first sub-60 14. They met when on the US
round of 2017 to team at the 2007 Evian Junior
the one whose Masters and their friendship has
third-round blossomed in an off-the-course
63 at the US ‘fourball’ that includes Rickie

‘It’s just pretty unbelievable what he’s
Another stat that separated him from
Open broke a 44-year-old
tournament record. And
then, for his final trick, he
took to Twitter to tell his
140 000 followers, ‘Wouldn’t
be surprised if @JordanSpieth
just holes this bunker shot.’
Moments later Spieth
did exactly that to win the
Fowler and Smylie Kaufman.
‘It’s just pretty unbelievable
what he’s doing right now,’
Spieth said after Thomas won
the Sony Open in Hawaii in
January. That victory came on
the back of an opening-round
59, the seventh sub-60 round
in PGA Tour history. ‘He’s got

doing right now,’ Spieth had said after
the field was equally telling: he made four
Travelers Championship in
a playoff in June. And that’s
just the thing with Justin
Thomas. With him around,
you expect things to happen.
TANNEN MAURY/BACKPAGEPIX
full control of his game, full
confidence, and he’s executing
under pressure. Myself and
a lot of our peers have seen
for almost 10 years. He’s just

Spieth, the boy wonder showing the world what

who raced to world No 1 before he’s capable of.’
slipping down the rankings, but Thomas’ breakthrough
who is now surging upwards year came in 2014 when he

Thomas won the Sony Open in Hawaii in birdies in each of the first and third rounds
again, has been friends with won his first professional

compleatgolfer.com 37

36-41_Thmas.indd 36 2017/07/04 11:04 AM 36-41_Thmas.indd 37 2017/07/04 11:04 AM

January. That victory came on the back of

Going into the final Major, Thomas

an opening-round 59, the seventh sub-60
round in PGA Tour history. ‘He’s got full
STREETER LECKA/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

was ranked only 15th in driving

control of his game, full confidence, and
he’s executing under pressure. Myself

distance, but at Quail Hollow

and a lot of our peers have seen it almost
10 years now. He’s just showing the world

he dominated the field

what he’s capable of.’
Thomas’ third-round 63 at the US Open
had also broken a 44-year-old tournament

compleatgolfer.com 33
2017 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
There is such depth it is difficult
for anyone to suggest that Jack
Nicklaus’ Major-winning record
of 18 will ever be touched
at Quail Hollow after missing the cut at
The Open Championship. After packing up
early at Royal Birkdale, the 2010 champion
mused, ‘That’s why we love The Open. I’ll
be back.’ His runner-up spot, two behind
Thomas and clinched with a birdie on the
final hole, now makes him a bridesmaid
in all four Majors, as well as The Players
Championship, generally considered the
fifth Major of the men’s game.
Second spot saw Oosthuizen touch
No 20 again in the World Ranking,
although Dustin Johnson remained at
No 1, despite not adding to the sole Major
of his career at last year’s US Open. But
a Sunday 67, which earned him a top-20
finish, evoked memories of his opening
to 2017. Johnson has struggled, by his
own admission, since toppling down a
flight of stairs the day before the Masters.
‘Going into Augusta I was playing the
best golf of my career,’ he said. ‘Everything
was working very well. Then unfortunately
I didn’t get to play The Masters and I’ve
struggled a bit this whole summer. It’s
all due to what happened before Augusta,
slipping and hurting my back. I feel like
the game is coming around. It’s starting
to feel a lot better. I’ve got confidence in
it again. It’s close to being really good.’
That, in many ways, sums up the
competitive nature of golf at the moment.
34 compleatgolfer.com
HOW THINGS
UNFOLDED
First round
1 Kevin Kisner (US), Thorbjorn Olesen
(Den) 67
3 Grayson Murray (US), Gary Woodland
(US), Brooks Koepka (US), Chris Stroud
(US), DA Points (US) 68
8 Tony Finau (US), Jim Herman (US),
Patrick Reed (US), Paul Casey (Eng),
Bud Cauley (US), Rickie Fowler (US) 69
Second round
1 Kisner 67 67, Hideki Matsuyama
(Japan) 70 64 134
3 Jason Day (Aus) 70 66,
Stroud 68 68 136
5 Louis Oosthuizen (SA) 70 67,
Francesco Molinari (Italy) 73 64 137
7 Casey 69 70, Fowler 69 70,
Justin Thomas (US) 73 66 139
10 An Byeong-hun (Kor) 71 69 140
Third round
1 Kisner 67 67 72 206
2 Matsuyama 70 64 73,
Stroud 68 68 71 207
4 Oosthuizen 70 67 71,
Thomas 73 66 69 208
6 Murray 68 73 69 210
7 Scott Brown (US) 73 68 70, Graham
DeLaet (Can) 70 73 68, Molinari 73 64
74, Patrick Reed (US) 69 73 69,
Woodland 68 74 69 211
Final round
1 Thomas 73 66 69 68 276
2 Oosthuizen 70 67 71 70, Molinari
73 64 74 67, Reed 69 73 69 67 278
5 Fowler 69 70 73 67,
Matsuyama 70 64 73 72 279
7 DeLaet 70 73 68 69,
Kisner 67 67 72 74 280
9 Day 70 66 77 70, Matt Kuchar (US)
71 74 70 68, Jordan Smith (Eng) 70 75
70 68, Stroud 68 68 71 76 283
There is such depth it is difficult for anyone
to suggest that Jack Nicklaus’ Major-winning
record of 18 will ever be touched, while Tiger
Woods, marooned on 14 titles, is still so far in
the distance he too looks untouchable.
Of those still on Tour, Phil Mickelson’s
five Majors remains the most, although
he missed the cut – as did Ernie Els – as
both teed up at their 100th Major at Quail
Hollow. Rory McIlroy’s four is the most
among those young enough to make a run
at double figures, although the Northern
STUART FRANKLIN/WARREN LITTLE/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
Irishman has the added handicap of a body
that has let him down in 2017.
For now, though, as the curtain closed on
the 2017 season, Thomas has become the
sport’s latest Major newbie and as he holed
out at Quail Hollow his two best friends,
Spieth and Fowler, watched and shared in
the celebration. Two of that close-knit trio
have now tasted the glory. Fowler’s turn
is around the corner, surely?
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 A NOF

WARREN LITTLE/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

M THE CEN
 all
eople of mke

Y
por tsp
ts Le

R
A frica’s finesMajor. By Gary

TU
out h 0th
One of Ss played his 10
time ha

T
his has been the year of
the long goodbye for Ernie Els as
he reached a remarkable milestone
of 100 Major appearances, at The
PGA Championship at Quail Hollow,
some 28 years after teeing it up at
a Major for the first time.
He could even have beaten his
long-time rival and fellow Major
champion Phil Mickelson to the
landmark, but for the two occasions
he has missed out over the past two
decades and more. In 2005 the South
African was forced to miss The PGA
Championship after suffering a serious
knee injury while on a sailing holiday in
the Mediterranean and in 2012 he didn’t
receive an invite to The Masters, because
he had run out of exemptions.
How did he go about rectifying that?
Well, a few months later he arrived at
Royal Lytham & St Annes and won
a fourth and final Major – his second
Open Championship – and the five-
year exemptions continued.
Now, as the curtain closed on the 2017
Major season, those exemptions have
dried up. Never say never, but the 47-year-
old might have to be content with being
regarded as one of the elder statesmen on
Tour, a jovial giant on and off the course, and
a shrewd businessman who is continuing
to build his empire around the globe.
His Major journey started in 1989 when
he was a teenage amateur at The Open
Championship, where he shot rounds of
72 and 76 to miss the cut by only two
shots. Earlier that year the precocious
amateur had finished fourth, on six-under
282, behind American Fred Wadsworth at
the SA Open at Glendower. That year Els
was allowed to win a maximum of R400
in prize money and his share was ‘donated’
to those other professionals around him
on the final scoreboard.
‘Ja, I was a 19-year-old doing my national
service,’ he recalls. ‘That week Errol van
Zyl caddied for me and he’s a buddy to
this day. The two of us had a lot of fun
at Zwartkop Air Force base. The week
after that, we went to Phalaborwa and
we had another top 10. Then I entered
The Open qualifying and, with my brother
Dirk caddying, made it on the nose.

compleatgolfer.com 37

‘I’ll never forget going to the range
at Royal Troon. There was no space, but
eventually I found a spot and put my
bag down. When I looked up, I saw Jack
Nicklaus on one side and Freddie Couples
on the other. Jack was so nice. He glanced
at this boy who must have looked like a
frightened animal captured in headlights
and wished me luck with a big smile on
his face.
‘I missed the cut by two but it gave me
hope. It showed me that maybe I could
do this. So we had a nice weekend in
the pubs and then we flew home.’
It was a three-year wait before Els
would tee up at a Major for a second
time. By this stage he’d won the first of
16 Sunshine Tour events, beating Peter
van der Riet at the Amatola Sun Classic,
but he got his invite to Muirfield in 1992
after winning the 1991-92 Sunshine Tour
Order of Merit and winning four events on
the circuit in the process – the SA Open,
SA PGA Championship, SA Masters and
Royal Swazi Sun Classic.
In only the second Major Els played,
he shot rounds of 66, 69, 70, 74 to finish
in a tie for fifth at Muirfield behind Nick
Faldo at the 1992 Open Championship.
Those who hadn’t recognised him as
a gifted teenage beanpole with blond hair
and a wide smile three years earlier, were
left in no doubt. There was a new kid on
the tee box.
‘I have loved every minute of
being at Augusta and I’ll come
back somehow. Maybe just
to have a couple of beers’
BEST YEARS
(BASED ON TOP-10 FINISHES)
1992 1
1993 2
1994 2
1995 1
1996 2
1997 2
2000 3
2001 2
2002 2
2003 3
Things have come full circle. Now only 2004 4
a 20th win on the PGA Tour – the 47-year-
old has a staggering 71 wins around the 2006 1
globe – will secure him another Major
appearance. Or some intervention behind 2007 2
the scenes by those who make the rules
in this great old game. 2008 1
It’s something Els was coming to terms
with as the widely popular South African 2009 2
teed up for the final time at the 2017
Masters, US Open, Open Championship 2010 1
and PGA Championship.
‘This tournament was just not for me,’ 2012 2
he said of The Masters, after he propped
up the field back in April, 20 over par. ‘I’ve 2013 1
won a lot of events around the world, but
this one eluded me. And that’s fine. If I get 2014 1
back, great. It’s obviously not totally out
of the picture. But if it is, it is. I have loved Immelman and Charl Schwartzel have
every minute of being here and I’ll come also triumphed there in the past decade.
back somehow. Maybe just to have a couple Els’ Masters peak came in a run from
of beers.’ 2000 to 2004 with five consecutive
Els first arrived at Augusta National placings in the top six, including runner-
in 1994 and tied for eighth, on two-under up finishes to Vijay Singh in 2000 and
286. ‘That was incredible to play with Ben a heart-breaking one-stroke defeat to
Crenshaw, who was an absolute Masters Phil Mickelson in 2004. He had posted
specialist, and Jose Maria Olazabal, who the clubhouse lead with a blistering final- LUKE FRAZZA/MONTANA PRITCHARD/ROBERTO SCHMIDT/ANDREW REDINGTON/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
was the champion that year,’ he said of round 67, only to watch as Mickelson nailed
his debut. a 20-footer on the last green to take the
South Africa has had a good run at title when a playoff seemed certain.
Augusta, with the great Gary Player Els teed up 23 times at Augusta, missing
being among those to win a Green Jacket out in 2012 for the first time in 18 years for
– he famously broke with tradition and took a shot at a Green Jacket when the treasured
his prize home with him – while Trevor invite didn’t arrive. That was despite him
already having 12 pairs of crystal goblets
for making eagles during the tournament
up to that stage, two crystal vases for
having the low score of the round and
two silver medals and silver trays for
being runner-up.
Ironically, it was the arrival of Tiger
Woods on the scene at the 1997 Masters
that derailed Els’ drive to golfing
greatness. ‘That Masters shook us
 ERNIE ELS

ROLL OF HONOUR #100 2011 T47th 293 (+5)

2012 Not invited
2013 T13th, 287 (-1)
2014 Missed the cut
2015 T22nd, 286 (-2)
2016 Missed the cut
2017 53rd, 308 (+20)

US OPEN
THE 25
1993 T7th, 279 (-1)

MASTERS 1994 WON, 279 (-5)

1995 Missed the cut

23
1996 T5th, 281 (+1)
1997 WON, 276 (-4)
1998 T49th, 296 (+16)
1999 Missed the cut
2000 T2nd, 287 (+3)
1994 T8th, 286 (-2) 2001 T66th, 294 (+14)
1995 Missed the cut
1996 T12th, 287 (-1)
2002 T24th, 291 (+11)
2003 T5th, 280 (0) THE OPEN
CHAMPIONSHIP
1997 T17th, 288 (0) 2004 T9th, 287 (+7)
1998 T16th, 287 (-1) 2005 T15th, 289 (+9)
1999 T27th, 292 (+4) 2006 T26th, 293 (+13)
2000 2nd, 281 (-7) 2007 T51st, 301 (+21)

27
2001 T6th, 279 (-9) 2008 T14th, 289 (+5) 1999 Missed the cut
2002 T5th, 282 (-6) 2009 Missed the cut 2000 T34th, 285 (-3)
2003 T6th, 287 (-1) 2010 3rd, 286 (+2) 2001 T13th, 276 (-4)
2004 2nd, 280 (-8) 2011 Missed the cut 2002 T34th, 294 (+6)
2005 47th, 298 (+10) 2012 9th, 284 (+4) 1989 (Am) Missed cut 2003 T5th, 282 (+2)
2006 T27th, 292 (+4) 2013 T4th, 285 (+5) 1992 T5th, 279 (-9) 2004 T4th, 281 (-7)
2007 Missed the cut 2014 T35th, 288 (+8) 1993 T6th, 274 (-6) 2005 DNP; injured
2008 Missed the cut 2015 T54th, 291 (+11) 1994 T24th, 278 (-2) his knee
2009 Missed the cut 2016 Missed the cut 1995 T11th, 286 (-2) 2006 T16th, 282 (-6)
2010 T18th, 287 (-1) 2017 T55th, 295 (+7) 1996 T2nd, 273 (-11) 2007 3rd, 275 (-5)
1997 T10th, 282 (-2) 2008 T31st, 291 (+11)
1998 T29th, 292 (+12) 2009 T6th, 287 (-1)
1999 T24th, 298 (+14) 2010 T18th, 284 (-4)
2000 T2nd, 277 (-11)
2001 T3rd, 278 (-6) THE PGA 2011 Missed the cut
2012 T48th, 293 (+5)

CHAMPIONSHIP
2002 WON, 278 (-6) 2013 Missed the cut
2003 T18th, 290 (+6) 2014 T7th, 273 (-11)
2004 2nd, 274 (-10) 2015 T25th, 283 (-5)
2005 T34th, 286 (-2) 2016 T66th, 282 (+2)

25
2006 3rd, 275 (-13) 2017 Missed the cut
2007 T4th, 279 (-5)
2008 T7th, 292 (+12)
2009 T8th, 281 (+1)
OVERALL
WINS 4
2010 Missed the cut
2011 Missed the cut 1992 Missed the cut
2012 WON, 273 (-7)
2013 T26th, 292 (+8)
1993 Missed the cut
1994 T25th, 283 (+3) TOP 10 35
2014 Missed the cut 1995 T3rd, 269 (-15)
11-30 23
30+ 16
2015 T65th, 286 (-2) 1996 T61st, 290 (+2)
2016 Missed the cut 1997 T53rd, 290 (+10)
2017 61st, 285 (+5) 1998 T21st, 281 (+1)
MC 22
compleatgolfer.com 39
ERNIE ELS

all up. Everything was different after that,’

Els recalls of the time 20 years ago when
the young Tiger blitzed Augusta and won
by 12 shots, beginning his journey that
would see him win 14 Majors before his
personal life unravelled on that fateful
November night in 2009.
‘Suddenly there was three times the
media covering the game and huge crowds.
It was a difficult setting in which to compete,
and on top of that he was holing crazy shots
every week. He really was a force and he
dried up my Majors tally dramatically.
When Tiger came around, I wasn’t that
patient any more,’ Els admitted recently.
‘I’d been comfortable competing against
Colin Montgomerie and everyone else,
but Tiger had a little more power in his
engine and suddenly I’d lost my control.
Athletes are control freaks, and when
things are not going your way, you’re
anxious. Yes, I won some events when
he was chasing me down, but it was
a different environment.’
According to PGA.com stats, no golfer

‘When I stop playing and look

finished runner-up behind Woods more
times than Els (five). ‘You could tell I’d lost

back, I’ll be able to say I loved

my mind because I went to “Crazy Jos” [his
“mind” coach, Vanstiphout]. But I played

the game so much I never let it

some of my best golf from 2002 until
I blew my knee out in 2005. I should have

go because of a few setbacks’

won more Majors during that period.’
Still, 2017 has been one of reflection
for the South African who won two US

THE 100 CLUB

Tom Kite, Mark O’Meara

Bernhard Langer
Raymond Floyd

Phil Mickelson
Arnold Palmer

Ben Crenshaw

Gene Sarazen
Jack Nicklaus

Tom Watson
Gary Player

Sam Snead

Nick Faldo

Ernie Els
100
100
100
104
109
150
145
142
127
164

118
112
119

40 compleatgolfer.com
 Opens (1994 and 1997) and two Open
Championships (2002 and 2012), and
finished runner-up in four others.
At Erin Hills in June Els also played what
was likely the last US Open of his career.
‘I like to move forward, but we are running
out of time here,’ he said. ‘You do reflect
a bit. When the guy introduces you as the
1994 and 1997 US Open champion you can’t
help it ... I was playing with a kid today who
was just a baby [when Els won]. It would be
nice to keep going, but if not, it’s also fine.
I’ve had a good time.’
That sentiment continued through to
the third Major of 2017 where he made the
third successive cut of the year in a big one.
He teed up at his 27th Open Championship,
at Royal Birkdale.
It was always going to be an emotionally-
charged week, given that he holds The Open
ANDREW REDINGTON/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
so close to him and won his first Claret Jug
15 years ago.
Recalling the moment it all got too close
for comfort, Els said: ‘I managed to pull
myself together.’ He had led the field by two
strokes heading into the final round, but
a 70 saw him slip into a four-man playoff
with Thomas Levet and Australians Stuart
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Appleby and Steve Elkington. ‘I’d been after
the jug for 10 years,’ he said.
A decade later, Els won the last of his
four Majors, coming through the field with
a 68 to set the clubhouse lead at seven
under, and then watch as his good friend
Adam Scott imploded over the finishing
holes with a 75.
Only Henry Cotton had taken longer to
regain the Claret Jug than the 10 years it
took Els. ‘Amazing, I’m still numb,’ he said at
the time. ‘It’s crazy. I really feel for Scottie.’
Indeed, 22 July 2012 was a crazy day
for South African sport. While Els was
sipping the fruits of victory in Scotland,
Team SA had arrived in London before
the Olympics and some members were at
The Oval. There they watched as Hashim
Amla was hitting a career-best 311 for the
Proteas against England.
Suddenly, there wasn’t enough space
on the sports pages to describe the beauty
of that Sunday.
Now, though, Els continues on the
next step of a journey that has seen him
become a South African institution, one
of the great ambassadors this country
has produced, and a man as down to
earth and humble as he was when he
arrived on the scene.
His work in Majors might be complete,
but away from the cameras it’s not.
Daughter Sam has turned 18, son Ben
is nearly 15 and Ernie and his wife, Liezl,
have been colossal in their drive to create
awareness around autism and leave a
lasting legacy for sufferers like Ben and
millions of others.
Golfer extraordinaire Els might be, but
he’s also one of this planet’s special people.
Now the curtain has closed on his Major
career, and maybe it won’t open again.
Overall, it’s been an experience that has
brought so much joy to South African
sports fans.
‘Twenty-five years of Majoring is quite
something, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘I won a bit
and might have been the best player for
a while but I had my fair share of knocks.
So, when I stop playing and look back, I’ll
be able to say I loved the game so much
I never let it go because of a few setbacks.
One hundred Majors? What a good life
lesson it has been.’
And that, perhaps, might be the
understatement of the century.
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 W
SAM GREENWOOD/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

END-OF-YEAR W
959
1 052 1 015
1 173
1 309 1 375
568 1 130
/GETTY IMAGES
 LONG LIVE
Married and having made his Major breakthrough,
all the planets are aligned for another South
African talent. By Michael Vlismas THE
HONEYMOON

W hen they were

teenagers, brothers
Shaun and Alain
Norris made a deal
that whoever qualified
for a Major first would
allow the other to caddie
for him.
This year, Shaun was very happy to
make that call first.
Four years after he was the closest
he’s ever been to walking away from
his professional career, the 35-year-old
Norris has had a watershed year. He won
the Japan Golf Tour Championship, the
flagship tournament on that tour, to
qualify for his first Major – The Open
Championship at Royal Birkdale.
And Norris didn’t just make up the
numbers at Birkdale. He finished tied-
62nd thanks largely to a magnificent
third round of 65, which was only three
shots off the record 62 posted by Branden
Grace later that day.
And unlike Grace, Norris knew about
the record he came close to beating.
‘I was definitely aware of it and I was
trying to get there myself,’ he said. He
was aware of it as early as April, when
he was watching The Masters on TV and
heard the commentators discussing it, and
when he had no idea what kind of year he
was about to have.
I wasn’t playing badly. Even during the
social games I played with my brother,
he kept telling me to be patient because
the game was there.’
Norris could perhaps be excused that
little lapse in form, considering his mind
was filled more with venue bookings and
table arrangements for his wedding, rather
than his swing.
‘That was pretty stressful. You obviously
want to make sure everything is perfect for
your wife, so it takes your eye off the ball
a bit, so to speak. But after the wedding
I felt at peace and was playing nicely.
‘The week before my win I finished top
‘My year got off to a bit of a slow start. 10 in a tournament. I was hitting the ball
I had a couple of missed cuts, but I was so well, but not making putts. But I still felt
missing them by just a shot or two. So confident about my game. I had played the

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

WORLDRANKING 1 170
420 426
831
783 285 288 288
/GETTY IMAGES

(As at 14 August)

compleatgolfer.com 43
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 SHAUN NORRIS

BEST FINISHES tournament. We’re a very close family,

so it was rough on all of us.
2008 Africa Open (1st) ‘I wasn’t playing the greatest golf and
2011 Nashua Masters (1st), Africa Open (T8th) was getting to a point of being over it.
2012 SA Open (T11th), Dimension Data Pro-Am (T4th) Then my dad got better, and the first thing
2014 Alfred Dunhill Championship (T8th) he said was, “When are you going to start
2015 Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (1st), Thailand Golf Championship practising again?” That restarted the clock
(T17th), Ho Tram Open (T6th), Alfred Dunhill Championship (T11th), Investec Cup (T8th) for me, and I decided to push even harder.’
2016 Myanmar Open (1st), Sun City Challenge (2nd), JGT Championship Mori Building As a result, The Open experience was so
Cup Shishido Hills (T5th), Thailand Classic (T10th) much more than just a week of good golf on
2017 JGT Championship Mori Building Cup Shishido Hills (1st), Gateway to The Open the highest stage for Norris. It was bigger. It
Mizuno Open (T6th), The Open Championship (T62nd)
was about family.
‘My parents joined me at The Open, and
I had my brother on the bag. It was such
a blessing for us to all be part of that and
to have them share it with me.
‘I was a nervous wreck on the 1st tee,
but my brother was having a great time.
He was just laughing and joking about it
all. A few weeks before The Open he beat
me in a social round at Silver Lakes. He
shot a 64. So he was joking with me at
The Open that if I felt too nervous to play,
we should swap caps and he’d take over,
because we look quite similar.’
After just making the cut in the
tough Friday weather, Norris woke up
on Saturday morning and decided he
had nothing to lose.

‘My parents joined me at The

Open, and I had my brother on
the bag. It was such a blessing
for us to all be part of that and
to have them share it with me’
Shishido Hills course a year before and
I loved it. So I went into that week feeling
confident and knowing I was going to
a course I enjoyed. I just trusted myself
and went for it.’
That victory opened the door to
The Open and a spot at the World Golf
Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.
Suddenly, the winner of the Africa Open
and the Nashua Masters on the Sunshine
Tour had taken the step up he had dreamed
of taking. But four years ago he started to
doubt he would ever reach it.
‘I thought I was done,’ says Norris. ‘My
dad was diagnosed with cancer and I spent
a lot of time at home helping my parents.’
As an amateur, Norris had played at the
annual Sanlam Cancer Challenge, which
raises millions for the Cancer Association
of South Africa. But this was the first
time cancer became such a reality in
his life.
PAUL LAKATOS/GETTY IMAGES

‘You can’t explain how rough it is to go

through cancer and chemo and so on. It
shows you that there are more important
things in life than worrying about a golf

compleatgolfer.com 45
SHAUN NORRIS
‘I feel comfortable out there. It’s
about being able to trust yourself
and what you know you can do’
‘I played very nicely on the first day and
was happy with my game. The second day
I got the wrong side of the draw and played
in the bad weather. I just kept my head and
plugged away, trying to make the cut.
‘Then when I woke up on Saturday
morning, I said to my brother, we had
nothing to lose. So I went for it, and
I still feel like I left a few out there.
‘The Open was just such a beautiful
experience. I got a whole lot of messages
from friends and family and Sunshine
Tour players, so it was great to get that
support from home.’
And Norris is in no doubt that The
Open was where he wanted to make
his Major debut.
‘Absolutely. It was always the one
I wanted to get into first. It’s links golf
and I enjoy that type of golf. I think
you can see that by some of the big
46 compleatgolfer.com
tournaments I’ve won, like the Africa
Open and Nashua Masters. Those were
played on courses like East London Golf
Club and Wild Coast Sun Country Club.
It’s windy and it’s links-type golf.’
Norris is one of several Sunshine Tour
professionals who have found Asia to
be a lucrative area. Ever since Nico van
Rensburg achieved great success on
the Asian Tour, it’s led to golfers like Des
Terblanche, Keith Horne and Jbe Kruger
playing there, and now Norris is seeing
the potential of the Asian Tour.
For Norris, though, it was almost by
default that he ended up there.
‘I’d played well at the Alfred Dunhill
Championship a few years ago, and had
missed the European Tour’s Qualifying
School. Somebody suggested to me that
I try Asia, so I did. I thought it would be
good to play on that side of the world and
learn a bit over there. Nico also told me
how good the quality of golf is out there.
‘It’s just a case of getting used to their
courses. A lot of them are coastal-type
courses with Bermuda greens, so that
takes adjusting.
‘And when it comes to my game, I’ve
been working hard on my swing for the
past couple of years. I was working on
getting back to the more natural swing
I had as a youngster and being less
technical. That work started to pay off
this year. I feel comfortable out there.
It’s about being able to trust yourself
and what you know you can do.’
After his victory in Japan, Norris was
immediately aware he would have to reset
his goals. And this included choosing his
practice partners.
‘At the Bridgestone Invitational I played
a practice round with Charl Schwartzel and
Ernie Els. That was good fun, walking with
the boys and chatting with them. It was
a good experience, rubbing shoulders with
the big guys and learning from them.’
Newly married and new to the
experience of Majors and World Golf
Championship events – in all aspects
2017 is very much a honeymoon year
for Norris.
GREGORY SHAMUS/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
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PGA INSTRUCTION /// GOLF PRO GRANT HEPBURN

Sterne’s
Late Release
Many people marvel
at how far Richard Sterne
is able to hit a golf ball.
He’s not the tallest player,
yet he is regularly one of
the longest drivers on Tour.
Grant Hepburn explains
Sterne’s secret to power
The key to Richard Sterne’s power comes from two
things: his impeccable ball striking and his clubhead
speed through impact. In his case, the latter comes
from a very late release, where a powerful wrist
action through the hitting zone forces the clubhead
to catch up with his hands as he accelerates through
the ball.
Sterne is helped by the fact he has special hand-
eye co-ordination. I’ve often considered squash to
be a good sport for developing strong wrist action
and good timing, and he was once a top-level squash
player – as I found out to my detriment on one
occasion when he challenged me to a game.
Richard played South African age-group levels
up to U16, while his sister Farrah was the national
champion a few years back.
Sterne’s ability on the squash court goes a long
way to explaining how he is able to effortlessly hold
off his release until very late – storing the lag angles
at the back of his wrists – before whipping into the
back of the ball with tremendous power.
So often I see amateurs releasing the club too
early and this is a massive power leak. Sometimes
the early release happens because the player is
subconsciously trying to scoop the ball into the air,
but it could also be due to a weak (slicer’s) grip, where
the player is inclined to throw the clubhead early in
order to try to square up at impact. It’s always a good
idea to have your PGA pro check out your grip to
make sure you’re not getting into any bad habits.
 INSTRUCTION

Getting it right
In the first three images I have used a
conventional backswing, with a nice turn,
swinging my arms and hinging my wrists.
As the downswing starts (pic 4), my legs
1 2
drive towards the target, but notice how
my right elbow has moved in close to the
side of my body and the angle at the back
of my wrists remains loaded, as it was at
the top of the backswing.
Pic 5 shows that although my hands
are in line with the ball, the angle of the
back of my wrist has not been released. At
this point it feels as though my clubhead
is trailing behind my arms and hands, but
the leverage created allows the power to
be unleashed at the last moment before
impact (pic 6).
In pic 7, see how there is no longer an
angle at the back of my wrists, as I have
released the club powerfully through
impact before making a good finish.

3 4 5

6 7 8
JAN KRUGER/SAMANTHA PINTO/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES/HM IMAGES

compleatgolfer.com 49
INSTRUCTION

Getting it wrong
From a good position at the top of my
backswing (pic 1), I have made the mistake
of releasing the club too early. Pic 2 shows
how my right elbow has moved away from
1 2
my side and the angle behind the wrist is
already lost. This is a massive power leak
– compare this position with the one in
pic 4 of the good sequence.
In pic 3 the clubhead has almost caught
up with my hands and my hands are not
even at the ball yet. This early release is a
common fault among amateurs, and pic 4
shows how the ball has been scooped off
the turf instead of trapped by a late release.
The result is a loss of power and timing,
while the ball flight will be high and weak.

3 4 5
1 2 3

The drill
4 5 In this drill, split your hands on the grip
as I have shown. With your ball on a tee,
make a normal backswing and when it
comes to the downswing, pull the butt-
end of the club down until it is past the
ball before you release the club and let
go of the angle at the back of your wrists
to hit the ball.
Splitting your hands will help you
learn how the right elbow needs to drive
in to the right side on the way down, as
it will exaggerate the correct feeling of
that movement.

6 7 Grant Hepburn
Grant Hepburn has been a regular face in
Compleat Golfer for more than a decade. His
CV includes time coaching on the European
and PGA Tours, and an impressive list
of top amateurs and pros. He is the CEO
of Golf RSA and the South African Golf
Development Board. Follow him on Twitter
@granthepburn.

compleatgolfer.com 51
GOLF RSA
Jarvis Joins
the Winners
Another Golf RSA National Squad player
has tasted success in the United Kingdom
Fourteen-year-old Casey Jarvis produced
a wire-to-wire performance at Manchester
Golf Club to claim the English Boys U14
Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship
on a winning score of four-under 212.
The State Mines junior finished with
a birdie for a round of 74 and a two-shot
win over Spaniard Jose Ballester, who had
made a late charge.
‘I am super proud of myself,’ Jarvis said
after lifting the coveted Reid Trophy. ‘After
I tied for fifth last year, I was determined
to do better this year. I took the lead in the
first round and never lost it. I overcame all
the challenges.’
Jarvis began the final day with a
comfortable four-shot lead after rounds
of 68 and 70, and moved to seven under
with his first birdie of the day at the
par-five 2nd. However, three successive
dropped shots, from the 5th to the 7th
hole, brought him back to the chasing
pack. A birdie at the par-five 9th steadied
the ship once more.
‘I hit my drive into the long stuff at the
5th. I had to chip out and couldn’t up-and-
down to save par. At 6, I was in the middle
of the fairway, but my 3-wood finished
right of the green and I didn’t up-and-down
to save par. At 7, I hit gap-wedge over the
green and finished with another bogey.
‘I think I got a bit tense on the front nine,
but I settled down with the birdie at 9. I hit
a good drive and a 5-wood right of the green,
and I chipped it to a foot and holed the putt.
I knew I was still leading, but I didn’t think
about it. I just wanted to limit the mistakes.’
Fortunately, Jarvis was unaware that
Ballester was mounting a serious charge
ahead of him. The Spaniard racked up five
birdies on the front nine and got within
a shot of the South African with a 68 that
included a birdie-eagle combination, at 13
and 14, and a birdie at 17.
‘I had no idea about Jose, because he was
playing way in front of me, so I thought
I had a five-shot lead,’ Jarvis said.
‘I had a three-putt bogey at 13 and put
myself in the long stuff again at 15 for
another bogey. It was only when I reached
18 that a scorer told me Jose shot 68 and
he finished on two under. I realised I only
had a one-shot lead and I needed par at
the last hole to guarantee the win.
‘I hit a great drive and had 148m left
to the pin. I hit an 8-iron to eight feet and
holed the birdie putt for the win. I didn’t
play my best golf in the last round, but
I hung tough. I recovered well and made
the birdies and pars that counted.’
Jarvis said that winning the national
championship in England surpasses his
victory in the 10-11 age category of the 2015
Optimist International Championships in
the US.
‘This is by far my biggest achievement,
because this win was against tough
competition in really tough conditions,’
he said. ‘That’s why it means so much
to me. It inspires me for the future.
‘I’m very grateful to my parents, Kevin
and Kim, my coach, Grant Veenstra, and
Golf RSA. I couldn’t have done this without
their support.’
THREE’S A WELCOME CROWD
At least three South Africans will peg it
up at the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup
in New Jersey, US, looking to showcase
the strength of South African junior golf
on the world stage.
Reigning Sanlam SA Amateur champion
Christo Lamprecht Jnr, Garrick Higgo
and Luca Filippi will join nine other
international players as they take on a
strong US team on their home turf. Former
Masters winner Trevor Immelman will
captain the International team, while David
Toms will lead the US team. Legends and
former Presidents Cup captains Gary Player
and Jack Nicklaus will lend their support to
their respective teams.
 ‘On behalf of the Golf RSA board
of directors and the South African
Golf Association [SAGA], we applaud
their achievement and we wish them
a fantastic and memorable first Junior
Presidents Cup.’

SCHOOLS ‘PASS THE EXAM’

Curro Aurora’s powerhouse team, made
up of four Golf RSA National Squad players,
delivered when it mattered by claiming
the SA High School Championship at
Rustenburg Golf Club.
Woo-Ju Son, Kieron van Wyk, Cole
Stevens and Carl Mwale combined for
a total of even-par 432, giving them the
win by a stroke over Glenwood House.
At the Individual Competition, Golf RSA
National Squad player Wilco Nienaber,
representing Grey College, cruised to an
eight-shot win, courtesy of two superb
rounds of 65.
At the Ernie Els SA Primary School
Championship, it was Laerskool Saamtrek
from Klerksdorp that prevailed by a massive
14-stroke margin. They were led by Divan
Left to right: SA’s ‘Awesome Foursome’
Mostert, who claimed individual honours
Christo Lamprecht Jnr, Luca Filippi,
with a score of even-par 144, seven clear of
Garrick Higgo and Jayden Schaper
Franco Gericke of Laerskool George-Suid.

As at mid-August, SA’s No 1-ranked junior

Jayden Schaper – who was unlucky to miss
out on automatic qualification by one spot
– was the favourite to be selected as the
captain’s pick, which would see four South
Africans make the team.
Automatic selection for the International
team was based on the World Amateur Golf
Rankings (WAGR), while the US team was
determined by the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
‘It is absolutely magnificent news that
three of our juniors have qualified for the
International team,’ said Golf RSA CEO
Grant Hepburn.
‘Garrick, Christo and Luca competed at
The 2017 Ernie Els SA Primary
the 2017 All Africa Junior Golf Championship
School Championship winners
with Jayden Schaper, where the team
Laerskool Saamtrek
claimed a 19th consecutive victory for South
Africa. The quartet also sealed a top-eight
finish at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup The 2017 SA High School Championship
in June. winners Curro Aurora
‘Their automatic selection is confirmation
of the dedication and absolute determination
these juniors have shown in the past 12
months. I believe their participation at the
Junior Presidents Cup will serve as a huge
source of inspiration to the wave of young
stars coming through the ranks across
IMAGES: ERNEST BLIGNAULT/COENIE SCHOONHOVEN/GOLF RSA

South Africa.

WHAT IS GOLF RSA?

Golf RSA is the new governing
body for amateur golf in South
Africa, comprising the South
African Golf Association, Womens
Golf South Africa and the South
African Disabled Golf Association.

compleatgolfer.com 53
G ARTH MILNE

FITNESS

Onthe
Another in our monthly
series of exercises designed
to improve your golf game

When I started training

golfers 16 years ago, a large
number who came to see me
had some form of lower-back
problem. This is an alarmingly
prevalent issue for such a
Turn
of mobile and stable joints
allows these segments to
function appropriately.
Here are some exercises
to improve your ability to
separate these segments
specific sporting group. I knew in your swing:
my biggest contribution would
be to help my golfers swing
the club in a way that would
X-factor separations
I have previously spoken about
alleviate stress on the spine.
groundforce dynamics as it is essential
I joined up with PGA
to use the ground to create a powerful
teaching professional Doug
but safe swing. As we load up into our
Wood and we focused on
backswing, we must activate the leg
finding ways in order to
muscles. Your quadriceps and glutes are
improve a golfer’s swing
great power sources and we want to feel
mechanics to help them find
like we are loading them in the backswing
their most energy-efficient
to unleash power into the downswing. In
golf swing. We found that
this exercise you must feel like you are
other injuries to the shoulders,
creating a large shoulder turn over a stable
elbows and wrists often come
base. Feel as though you are corkscrewing
from compensations to save
your feet and legs into the ground. Hold
the back.
this position for 3-5 seconds and do 5-10
One of the key elements
repetitions on each side. A slight squatting
of the swing is the ability to
move in the transition into the downswing
separate the different body
uses this power source. If you don’t have
segments and move them
this small squat, you might turn your hips
independently of one another.
but you won’t move your pelvis towards
I see the body as a Rubik’s
the target enough. Then, the only way
Cube, with five segments that
you can get power is to torque your entire
rotate on their own: the head,
body. As the club swings down, the torque
thorax, abdomen, upper leg and
increases and this places undue stress on
hip joint, and the lower leg and
the lumbar spine, which means pain.
feet. The alternating sequence
 Starfish
rotations
The goal is to
maintain lumbar
spine stability with a
full body turn. Engage
your core and don’t
arch your lower back
as you rotate to both
sides. Be sure to pinch
your shoulder blades
back and down at all
times. You can use a
golf club if you don’t
have a SuperFlex
Band. Complete 20
reps alternating sides,
stopping at the front
each time.

Windmills
To protect your spine on the
backswing it is essential that
you maintain a bent right knee
and that you turn your torso
so your left shoulder is below
your right at the top
of your backswing.
Many golfers try to
rotate the shoulders
level, but turning the left
shoulder underneath lets the
thoracic spine (mid-back) and
not the lumbar spine (lower back)
handle the twisting. The thoracic
spine is designed to rotate, not
the lumbar. If you straighten your
right knee on the backswing, the
right side of the pelvis moves
considerably higher than the
left, tilting the bottom vertebrae
to the left, which puts undue
stress on them.
The goal of the windmill
is to maintain the line of your
arms perpendicular to your
spine angle. You should focus
on keeping your lower body
quiet, but hold the flex in your
knees and hips. Your rotation
to the right should match that to
the left. Complete 20 reps rotating
to each side, like a golf swing.

Garth Milne is a golf fitness specialist who trains a number of professionals on the world’s pro tours, as well as
emerging amateur players. He dedicates a lot of time to junior academies across South Africa, but is primarily
IMAGES: SUPPLIED

based at the Serengeti Golf Academy, where he and PGA pro Doug Wood run their Wanna Be A Champion
programme. For more information, visit wannabeachampion.com. Twitter: @SmileyMilne

compleatgolfer.com 55
 THEO MANYAMA

RULES
By the Numbers
Another monthly column by one of
South Africa’s rules gurus to help you
know your way around the course
There have been countless
unnecessary disqualifications
in competitive golf as a result of
a scoring mix-up, so this month I’d
like to focus on how a player can
avoid a DQ in the scorer’s area.
A player is responsible for hole-
by-hole scoring on their card, not for
totalling up the score. They can hand
in a scorecard without any totals on it,
and it’s the scorer’s job to add it up.
I always remember Mark McNulty
coming into the scorer’s area, handing
his card to the scorer, closing his eyes,
and then calling out his scores on each
hole as he remembered them. He was
always incredibly efficient this way and
a good example for any professional.
After totalling up the score, the
scorer will then confirm with the
/GETTY IMAGES
of high-profile players who have made
this basic mistake.
If you have a discrepancy on your
card, and your marker has already left
the scorer’s area, you are able to inform
the scorer of this and tell them you are
leaving to find your marker and bring
them back to settle the discrepancy.
Perhaps one of the more bizarre
scoring mix-ups I’ve heard of involved
the starter on the 1st tee at an Open
Championship many years ago.
The starter is supposed to hand
players their own scorecards when
they step on to the tee. The players
then swap cards and mark each
other’s cards during the round.
But on this occasion the starter had
swapped the cards before handing
them out. The players exchanged

player what they have shot. cards on the tee, with the result that
However, if on a certain hole you they had their own cards back in
made a four and your marker put their hands without knowing it.
you down for a three, and you sign And obviously they filled in the
for that score, you will get disqualified wrong scores for themselves.
for signing for a lower score than you All they had to do in the scorer’s
made. But, if you make a four on a hole area was swap the stickers on their
and your marker puts you down for cards noting their names and tee-off
a five and you sign for it, that score times, and they would have solved
stands and you won’t get disqualified. the problem. But at that time the
The other potential pitfall for a scoring rules didn’t allow for you to make
disqualification is leaving the scorer’s corrections, even in the scorer’s area,
area and then returning to correct a so they were both disqualified. This
scoring mistake. Unfortunately, you resulted in a discussion by golf’s ruling
won’t be able to make any corrections bodies that saw the rule changed to
to your score once you have left the allow for any scoring discrepancy
scorer’s area. Golf is filled with instances to be resolved in the scorer’s area.
WHO IS THEO MANYAMA?
He has long been one of world golf’s most respected rules officials. In 2015,
Manyama completed his ‘Grand Slam’ of having officiated at every Major when
he was invited to officiate at The PGA Championship and he was on hand to
provide rules direction at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. He also
received the Minister’s Excellence Award at the annual South African Sports
Excellence Awards. As a tournament director and rules official, Manyama
is respected worldwide by players and officials alike. He has been a rules
IMAGE: ISTOCKPHOTO

official at 16 Masters, nine US Opens, 19 Open Championships and one PGA

Championship, as well as countless World Golf Championships and regular
Tour events.
 The “new” Championship
East Course Awaits
Opening January 2018

011 640 3021 | bookings@royaljk.za.com

membership@royaljk.za.com
www.royaljk.za.com
 GARY LEMKE
COLUMN
Casual
Sexism
It took caddie Zack Rasego
to inform Branden Grace
that he’d made history at
The Open Championship.
‘Zack was up there and said,
“Congrats” and I was like, “OK,
cool, I played a good round”.
He said, “That’s in the history
books” and I said, “What are
you talking about?”’
By that stage the millions
following Grace’s stunning
round on TV were aware of
the achievement before he
was. He had produced the
first 62 in Major golf history.
Except, he hadn’t.
Men’s history, yes, but do
the 62s of Minea Blomqvist
(2004), Lorena Ochoa (2006)
and Mirim Lee (2016) not
count? Or, what about the
10-under-par 61 by Hyo
Joo Kim at the 2014 Evian
Championship?
STUART FRANKLIN/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
In the male-dominated
world of golf, seemingly
not. Grace was magnificent
in that third round at Royal
Birkdale and despite 30
men’s golfers previously
having shot 63s in Majors,
none had recorded a 62.
The South African therefore
goes into the history books
as the first. That is despite
his eight under par coming
on a par-70 course and that
on eight previous occasions
male golfers have shot nine
under par on par-72 courses.
It was a moment for Grace to
savour and for South Africa
to celebrate along with him.
It was at Wimbledon that
world No 1 Andy Murray
received wide praise for calling
out a journalist’s question that
was subsequently classed as
‘casual sexism’ and ‘ignorant’.
An American journalist asked
him, ‘Sam Querrey is the first
US player to reach a major
semi-final since 2009, how
would you describe …?’
Murray then interrupted
to say, ‘Male player.’
And if you are asked
a trivia question, ‘Who has
won the most tennis singles
Grand Slams?’ or ‘Who has
shot the lowest round in golf’s
Majors?’ the correct answers
are Serena Williams and Hyo
Joo Kim, not Roger Federer
and Branden Grace.
I am not suggesting that
Kim is a better golfer than
Grace and I accept that a
woman doesn’t have the
power to shoot 62 off the
back tees. But, you can’t
ignore the fact a 61 has
been shot in Major golf.
Even the LPGA Tour
director of public relations,
who tweets almost exclusively
about women’s golf, tweeted:
‘Astonishing round of 62 by
South African Branden Grace
… the lowest score ever in a
Major championship’, while
retweeting the official Open
account (with ‘only’ 419 000
followers) saying that Grace
shot the lowest round in Major
history. He later corrected
himself, but only after it
was pointed out that it
was a men’s record.
Still, the TV commentators
and much of the golfing
media continued in their
ignorant way right through
to the end of the tournament.
Perhaps this shouldn’t
come as a surprise given
there is a huge gulf between
men and women in golf.
compleatgolfer.com
It remains a largely male
bastion of sporting society.
Women’s prize money and
media exposure are negligible
compared to the men, and
TV executives and sponsors
only have eyes for the men.
There are also many golf
clubs around the world that
don’t allow women to become
members and it was only last
year that Royal Troon was
given permission at the
11th hour to stage the 2016
Open Championship after
‘a positive show of hands
in a vote’ to accept women.
In March this year, after
Muirfield had lost the right to
stage The Open because of its
stance on women members,
the club announced a change
of heart, declaring that 80%
of its male members had
voted to allow women. Which
still means that 20% – one
in five – voted against it. But,
because of the waiting list,
it will take two to three years
for Muirfield to admit its first
female member.
Really, this is 2017 – AD,
not BC.
59
H OF ME
PEN
THE

The 7th
 Not only has this Durban course stood
the test of time, it continues to set the
standard. By Mark Sampson
IMAGES: MARK SAMPSON

compleatgolfer.com 61

urban
Country
Club has a rich
pedigree few South African courses
can rival. The massive Cape Dutch
clubhouse alludes to its history and
reputation as a ‘must-play’ course. The
corridors are adorned with historical
photographs, trophies, architectural
drawings and portraits of illustrious
members of yesteryear, and are well
worth a visit before heading out on
to the fairways.
It is essentially a well-oiled country
club with facilities that include a
swimming pool, bowling green and
tennis and squash courts. The strong
membership is due not only to the
facilities, but also the five-star service
that’s always on offer.
The club’s proximity to the ocean
and the Durban CBD is appealing to
the travelling golfer. In the early part
of the 20th century, the only course in
the area was Durban Golf Club, which
is now Royal Durban, inside Greyville
Racecourse. But, being in the swamp
area, it was prone to flooding, which
in 1920 almost caused the cancellation
of the SA Open, an event which was
described afterwards as a ‘slop-fest’.
The Durban authorities, concerned
that the city would never be invited
The 3rd
62 compleatgolfer.com
to hold a major tournament again, decided
to build a course on higher ground. After
much research, the dunes overlooking Blue
Lagoon estuary and the Indian Ocean were
chosen. The undertaking was vast, bearing
in mind the lack of machinery; with thick
coastal bush and sand dunes having to be
removed manually by legions of labourers
and sculpted into what is now one of South
Africa’s best layouts.
The man responsible for the first
layout was George Waterman, a Scottish
professional golfer who was assisted
by local golf professional Laurie Waters,
a four-time winner of the South African
The 1st
Open. The official opening of the course
was in December 1922, and the new
club members were so delighted that
they named a trophy after its architect,
the Waterman Cup.
Like most courses of its age, it has
had a number of nips and tucks over the
years, the first of which was in 1928 at
the hands of well-known course architect
Colonel SV Hotchkin, also responsible for
courses like Humewood and East London.
Later, another well-known designer, Bob
Grimsdell, architect of numerous layouts
in South Africa like Wanderers, St Francis
Bay and Clovelly, reworked the layout,
which was completed in 1959. The course
has had continuous alterations, with input
from Gary Player and Peter Matkovich,
and in 2010 the greens were relaid.
In 2011 the management embarked
on a programme of restoring the shape
of the fairways to the original layout and
on reducing the encroaching vegetation.
It was prompted in part by the members’
complaints that the tightness of the
fairways was excessive, particularly
when the wind was up.
Essentially the course, measuring 5 910m
from the club tees, is on a thin tract of land
along the coast, etched out of thick bush
with many changes in elevation. Located
so close to the ocean, wind is always in
play and the fairways are studded with
mounds and swales. Accuracy is essential
 COURSE OF THE MONTH

The 4th

as the bush is unforgiving: staying in
play should be the motto for the day.
Other than the stroke one mentioned
in the signature hole on page 67, Durban
Country Club has a number of memorable
holes, with the short 12th the most notable.
At 131m, it is an easy mid- to low-iron for
most, but that does not mean you will
safely find the surface. It has a long, narrow
green which is extremely intimidating,
having sheer 15-20m drop-offs on either
side. A massive bunker directly in front
of the green makes the target seem even
smaller and when the wind is up it is a
nerve-racking experience.
Edward, the Prince of Wales, and future
King Edward VIII of England, took a 16 on
the hole and, as recognition of his honesty
in faithfully recording his score, the
hole was named after him.
Another notable hole is the 8th,
a decent par five at 440m guarded
by massive mounds as you approach
the green. A good drive will leave you
with the option of going for the green
or laying up. From 80m out, the swales
can completely obscure the green,
making for an interesting approach.
The closing holes are also memorable.
The 16th is a par-four dogleg right with
a bunker on the left corner, directly in
line with the tee. Thick bush runs from
tee to green and any wayward shots
will require a reload. A drive short of the
bunker will leave 120m to the elevated
green, protected by three bunkers.
The 17th has similar DNA to the
8th, with its fairway rising to the
green, pockmarked with crests and
troughs. The fairway has no real
landing area as it slopes from right
to left, and the ball will undoubtedly
find a low-lying area. Getting your
yardage right, inclusive of the change
in elevation, and trusting the club are
very much part of playing this grand
dame of a course.
The closing hole is a drivable par
four responsible for the loss of many
a tournament and bragging rights at
the 19th. At 241m it’s reachable, but
the fairway has a steep left-to-right
slope which continues down to the
driving range 20-odd metres below.

The clubhouse HOLE YARDAGE PAR STROKE

1 330 4 5
2 160 3 13
3 462 5 9
4 155 3 17
5 409 4 1
6 315 4 11
7 333 4 7
8 440 5 15
9 379 4 3
Out 2 983 36
10 495 5 8
11 414 4 2
12 131 3 14
13 304 4 16
14 461 5 10
15 156 3 12
16 374 4 4
17 351 4 6
18 241 4 18
In 2 927 36
TOTAL 5 910 72
COURSE OF THE MONTH

GREENFEES
Members:
18 holes R395
9 holes R210
Students:
18 holes R310
9 holes R170
Juniors:
18 holes R165
9 holes R100
Cart rental:
The 16th
18 holes: R320
9 holes: R160
The green is surrounded by bunkers, Although set near the city and in a semi-
which makes it a tough target. All in commercial area with the Moses Mabhida
ROAD DISTANCES
(FROM, ESTIMATED,
all, it is a great finishing hole enticing Stadium casting a shadow on the clubhouse, TO DURBAN)
the longer hitters to finish with a birdie; the course is home to ample wildlife: it is Johannesburg: 567km C

in theory, of course. a micro-sanctuary. Dwarf mongooses are Pretoria: 624km

The course has lured the best in the common and can be seen foraging in large Bloemfontein: 635km
M

business, including Sid Brews, Bobby numbers. The birdlife is prolific and the club East London: 658km Y

Locke and John Bland. The quality of offers bird watching as a member activity. Kimberley: 795km
its demanding layout is confirmed by As a venue in general it also offers several Port Elizabeth: 908km CM

the numerous tournaments played on extra facilities, including a number of bars, Cape Town: 1 635km MY

its hallowed fairways. There have been restaurants and conference facilities. The
17 South African Opens hosted, as well patio outside the bar boasts one of the best RETURN FLIGHT CY

as the Volvo Golf Championships in views overlooking the Indian Ocean. Durban PRICES
(ESTIMATES ONLY, CMY

2013 and 2014. Past winners include Country Club is a course every golfer needs TO KING SHAKA INTL)
Gary Player and Ernie Els, who won to visit; with its long history, unique layout Johannesburg: R1 988
K

the centennial SA Open in 2010. and five-star facilities, it oozes class. Cape Town: R2 408
East London: R3 998
The 17th Port Elizabeth: R4 578
Bloemfontein: R5 198

GETTING THERE
From King Shaka
International: Get on
N2 from M65 (4.7 km).
Continue on N2. Take
Ruth First Highway/M4 to
Athlone Drive in Stamford
Hill (take exit 2) 22.7km.
Take Masabalala Yengwa
Avenue/M12 to Isaiah
Ntshangase Rd.

ADDRESS
101 Isaiah Ntshangase
Road, Durban
GPS co-ordinates
29º 49’ 40”S, 31º 2’ 2”E

CONTACT DETAILS
Bookings and enquiries:
(031) 313 1777
communications@
durbancountryclub.co.za

WEBSITE
durbancountryclub.co.za

64 compleatgolfer.com
 SIGNATURE HOLE

DURBAN
COUNTRY CLUB
Hole No 5, 409m, par four

The 5th hole at Durban Country Club

is widely regarded as one of the most
demanding par fours in South Africa.
Golf director Don Gammon talks us
through the best way to walk away
unscathed when playing this monster.
From the elevated tee you can see the
well-protected fairway with trees on either
side and a bunker on the right side, which
illustrate the need for accuracy. Due to its
length, driver is a must and the tree-lined
fairway doesn’t permit any bail-out, while
its left-to-right shape requires a fade for
the right-handers. A well-struck drive
will leave you approximately 185m from
the green on what will most likely be an
uneven stance. Golf director
Durban Country Club is known for its Don Gammon
rolling fairways and the 5th has some of
the biggest on the course. The difficulty of itself doesn’t have any major slopes,
the approach is compounded by needing to so a two-putt shouldn’t be a challenge.
carry the ball all the way to the green. With A par on this iconic hole is always
its narrow entrance and bunkers on either an achievement, no matter the calibre
side, running the ball up isn’t an option. of golfer, and the 5th marks the end
The green is slightly elevated with a of one of the most challenging opening
drop-off over the back into bushes. The series of holes in championship golf. It’s
middle of the green should be the target a genuine stroke one and if par is your
from such a lengthy approach. The green score, keep the card for bragging rights.
IMAGES: MARK SAMPSON

compleatgolfer.com 67
ENVIRONMENT
 Outthe Ashes
Brought to you by

of
A fire in 2014 turned out to be a blessing in
disguise for Durban Country Club and its
environmental waste. By Mark Sampson

Golf courses, like any property
that has gardens needing
maintenance, produce waste.
From grass cuttings to felled
trees, a golf course can produce
large amounts of vegetation
‘rubbish’, which needs clearing
and disposal.
The required space, manpower
and costs can become an issue.
But as Durban Country Club
found out, it is possible to create
a positive return in terms of
saving money and manpower.
In previous years, the unkept
and overloaded vegetation dump
area at Durban CC had become
an eyesore, and transporting
ILLUSTRATION: STUART APSEY
in smoke in 2014. Little did
the club know, this was
a blessing in disguise as it
set the wheels in motion for
a complete transformation
of the area.
A decision was made to turn
the space around and maintain
it properly, resulting in an
unexpected money-saving,
compost-creating success
story. The burnt vegetation
and dumped soil was levelled
to free up space.
At the same time the club
was also well into an ongoing
project of opening up many of
the fairways by cutting back
Over time the chippings and
mulch started to break down
organically. A sifter captured
the larger pieces of debris and
produced a consistent rich soil.
Through trial and error, the
organic material, now partly
mixed with the original burnt
material and soil, created a
quality compost which was
then used on the course.
Head superintendent Peter
Letalo, from Matkovich Golf
Course Maintenance, who is in
charge of the dump project, says
the compost is of the highest
standard and of great benefit to
the course and flower gardens.
Being able to make your
own quality compost is not
only desirable for landscape
maintenance, but it’s a
considerable money-saver.
All vegetation cut from
the area is broken down
and redistributed back on
the course: the dump site
is not overcrowded nor a
fire hazard and it becomes
a viable site.
No non-biodegradable or
plastic materials are allowed
in the site, and any large stumps
or branches that cannot be
broken down and chipped are
donated to those needing wood.

the waste to dumps was an bushes and trees. As the dump Most importantly, the level of It’s a success story of low-
expensive exercise. starting filling again, a chipper organic material and sand can cost vegetation recycling with
The issue was inadvertently was brought in to break it down be controlled and manipulated a negligible carbon footprint,
sorted out when it all went up and reduce it to workable mulch. for specific areas on the property. that many could learn from.

compleatgolfer.com 69
heinrich du preez
EXTREME
Real and Radical
Another in our series of 18 of the most
challenging holes in and around South Africa
We’ve all heard the saying
‘Africa is not a place for
sissies’. Well, this applies
just as much to some of our
golf courses. My featured
hole for this month is the
opening one at Skukuza
Golf Club.
In South Africa we take
playing golf with ‘spectators’
to a whole new level. This
course is situated in the heart
of the Kruger National Park,
and with no fences to keep
the Big Five away, you might
be surprised at who, or rather
what, might be watching
your next shot.
Skukuza Golf Club is the
only course located in the
Kruger National Park. It is
a 72-rated, nine-hole, 18-tee
course on the road to Paul
Kruger Gate.
There are some famous
tales associated with the
golf course down the years.
In 2014 a golfer was killed by
a crocodile while retrieving
balls from a dam called Lake
Panic on the course. The
29-year-old was dragged
under by the crocodile and
his body was found with
teeth marks on his back
and chest. Skukuza police
70 compleatgolfer.com
spokesman Oubaas Coetzer
said at the time: ‘One guy
challenged the other to see
who could retrieve the most
golf balls.’
A statement from Kruger
National Park said: ‘It is
understood that a group of
youngsters were hanging
around after a game of golf
when the incident happened.
Apparently the crocodile
surprised the group and
snatched the victim, then
disappeared under water.’
A lion once killed a
buffalo on the 1st green
and on another occasion,
a honeymoon couple’s golf
round was interrupted by
a pack of wild dogs chasing
an impala. Parks staff,
however, do keep an eye on
the area to keep dangerous
animals away, and no golfers
have ever been harmed by
wild animals while playing.
The golf course was built in
1972 as a recreational facility
for the Skukuza personnel,
and is now open to Kruger
National Park visitors.
Skukuza Golf Club doesn’t
have any bunkers, but there
are a lot of ‘aerial bunkers’
because of its many trees.
The exTreme
18 so far
Pinnacle Point Golf
Course 8th hole
Leopard Creek Country
Club 18th hole
Legend Golf & Safari
Resort 19th hole
The hole I am adding to my
Gary Player Country
Radical 18 is the 1st hole. It is Club 9th hole
a fairly difficult par four, going Wild Coast Sun Country
slightly downhill with Lake Club 13th hole
Panic on your left and out-of- Nkonyeni Golf Estate,
bounds stakes to your right. Bushveld’s 18th hole
A good tee shot is required Fancourt The Links
to approach the water hazard 12th hole
surrounding the green. The Highland Gate Golf
hole measures only 303m, and Trout Estate
but you should keep your 14th hole
driver’s cover on, and leave Arnot Golf Club
it in your bag. 5th hole
It is a stroke seven, but with Serengeti Golf and
the adrenalin pumping and Wildlife Estate 8th hole
the occasional glance over Durban Country Club
your shoulder, it might be 3rd hole
Goldfields West Private
a bit more intimidating.
Golf Club 18th hole
Last year I wrote about
Xamarin Golf Club
the Extreme 19th hole at
4th hole
Legends Golf Resort which Krugersdorp Golf
I said was a must for every Club 8th hole
SA golfer. I feel the same Royal Cape Golf Club
about Skukuza: I cannot 14th hole
imagine that anyone has Skukuza Golf Club
visited the park and not 1st hole
played the golf course.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Heinrich du Preez is the ‘Radical Golfer’. He became
the first golfer to have played a round of golf on all
six continents in five days. He has played nearly
every course in South Africa, and has made seven
holes-in-one, two on par fours. His best score was
image: supplied
a 69 gross at Highland Gate off a three handicap. Join
our chat on Facebook or on Twitter @radicalgolfer
FAShiOn

EQUIPMENT
dress
sense
The cream of men’s golfers
took to Royal Birkdale in a show
of fashion – giving you confidence
when picking your next outfit

A number of fashion statements were made at the 2017

Open Championship, but perhaps none more so than by
the high-riding American Justin Thomas.
Thomas channelled the classic looks of Van Phillips
and Ryan Moore by going black-tie in Polo Golf, by Ralph
Lauren, for the first day of The Open. The 24-year-old
American is renowned for his outlandish dress sense,
often donning colourful trousers when travelling on the
PGA Tour circuit. His most memorable outfit to date was
probably the pink pants he wore during the third round
of the US Open en route to a 63.
But Thomas smartened up for the 146th Open at Royal
Birkdale, literally, by modelling the more formal attire
worn by the likes of Phillips and Moore, among others,
and believes he ‘rocked’ the look.
Claude Harmon III, coach to big hitters Dustin Johnson
and Brooks Koepka, praised Thomas’ bravery in wearing
more quirky clothes, saying they ‘suit’ him.
‘I think we’re in a cool time with clothes and a bunch
of the young guys express themselves through the stuff
they wear,’ Harmon said. ‘JT has always got some cool
clothes, he gets a lot of grief from some of the players.
He and Billy Horschel are the ones who wear these kinds
images: supplied/aNdY BuCHaNaN/geTTY images/gallO images

of crazy, outlandish pants.

‘I kind of like it. I think it’s cool to have a little bit of
a throwback.’
Other golfers stayed more ‘traditional’ to golfing attire
at The Open, although they came from different brands.
Here are some of them: Rory McIlroy, Koepka and Jason
Day (Nike), Johnson and Sergio Garcia (Adidas), Justin
Rose (AdiPure by Adidas), eventual winner Jordan Spieth
(Under Armour), Rickie Fowler (Puma) and Horschel (RLX).
Over the next seven pages, have a look at what is
available in the South African market.
 Solid hat
R269

SS Polo MLNG
R699

ClimaCool chest Adidas is committed to combining innovation with

block polo authenticity. Passionate about the game, the company
R699 works hard to grow by delivering products that help
players of all skill levels reach their potential. Since
1979 its mission has remained the same: create the
best-performing golf products in the world.

Ultimate 365 3-Stripes shorts

R999

3-Stripes reversible belt

R999

Submariner Date
– 18ct yellow gold
R440 200

Stretch Wind 1/4 zip

R1 299

Adistar skort
R949

compleatgolfer.com 73
EQUIPMENT

Yacht-Master II
– Everose Rolesor
R324 200

Solid FJ polo Raglan FJ polo

R899 R1 099

FootJoy is about comfort, performance and tradition. It is committed

to creating superior golf footwear, gloves, clothing and accessories
that will enhance your on-course experience. FootJoy is the choice
of those who love the game – from young to old, from amateur to
professional – and has been for the past 60 years on the PGA Tour.

FJ Performance
wind jacket
R1 299

FJ leather belt
& buckle
R649

Titleist Dobby Tech

deep-fit cap
R399
 Micro Lux flat-front pants
R599
Zip mock
funnel
heathered
layering top
R699

Stretch stripe polo

R699

Micro Lux flat-

front pants
R599

Protek Pique
sleeveless top
R349
Established in 1992, the Greg Norman
Collection is inspired by one the
world’s leading golf professionals,
the man they call ‘The Shark’.
It captures Norman’s powerful
elegance, enthusiasm and passion
for an individual design sense. The
Collection is exclusive to The Pro
Shop stores across South Africa.

Milgauss –
904L steel
R105 400
1/4 Zip mock
funnel heathered
layering top
R499

Ultra-light
woven skort
R599

compleatgolfer.com 75
 Datejust 41 –
white Rolesor
R120 300

Fashion hat
R549

Black Series cap

R749

Webbed belt
R799
Jimmy Ro is a cutting-edge brand
aimed at the modern golfer who
seeks more than comfort. The
first high-end golf and lifestyle
brand that is proudly South
African owned and designed.

76 compleatgolfer.com
 EQUIPMENT

Carrboro Performance
Burnished belt paisley fancy shorts

The Peter Millar line of fine clothing and accessories

has become the standard-bearer for discerning
and demanding individuals on the golf course, GMT-Master II –
in the office and on the town. Peter Millar clothes 904L steel
maintain a classic style so versatile they offer R114 800
affordable elegance for business attire, performance
wear and everyday sophistication.

Mountainside
wash solid polo

Solid stretch
jersey polo
Parnelli stripe
stretch jersey polo

All prices available on request

EQUIPMENT

Puma Golf is part of Puma SE, one of the

world’s leading lifestyle companies that
designs and develops footwear, apparel and
accessories. Puma Golf delivers the most
fashionable, best-performing apparel,
footwear and accessories available.
Look Better. Feel Better. Play Better.
Essential pounce shorts
R1 149

GoTime road
map polo
R999

Embossed 1/4
zip popover
R1 299

EvoKNIT Delta Flexfit cap

R599

Cellini dual time –

18 CT Everose gold
R249 900

Water colour
Evoknit polo NRGY
sweater R729
R1 399

Floral knit skirt

R899
 Match Play
vented shorts
R1 199

PlayOff polo blocked

R999

Founded in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player

Kevin Plank, Under Armour is the originator of performance apparel,
engineered to keep athletes cool, dry and light throughout a game,
practice or workout. Under Armour’s mission is to make athletes better
through passion, design and the relentless pursuit of innovation.
PlayOff polo
R999

Explorer II
– 940L steel
R104 000

Men’s drivers cap

R449 Webbing belt
R449

compleatgolfer.com 79
ELS FOR AUTISM

M E
HO FORTS
a
o frien d s shared f
Tw ol
ound of g
special rpperleaf hosted
when Cor Autism day
its Els fo

COM

80 compleatgolfer.com

HOW CAN
READERS HELP?
Els for Autism funds its
centre mainly through
golf days, which form
part of the ‘Els for Autism
Drive to the SA Open’. You
can enter these golf days:
14 September: Fancourt
members
28 September: Mount
Edgecombe CC
20 October: Silver Lakes
26 October: Ebotse Links
2-3 November: Highland
Gate (final)
It was only fitting that Branus
Viljoen and best friend Johan
Steyn emerged victorious at
the Els For Autism Golf Day
at The Els Club, Copperleaf
– the first one to be held on
the estate. Viljoen is not only
a resident on the estate, but
also finds himself closely linked
with the cause because of his
own daughter’s disability.
‘I’m a massive fan of The
images: supplied
Big Easy, so I was never going
to miss this day,’ says Viljoen.
‘From him as a player to his
‘Ernie is the reason I play the game.
I watched him during the 1990s
when he was on fire and I was
instantly hooked’ – Johan Steyn
course design work and then,
obviously, the wonderful work
he does in the US and here
back home.’
Viljoen’s choice of partner
for the day was easy – it was
always going to be his good
mate Johan. And what a start
they got off to.
‘I’m a four-handicap but
Johan came out firing and
we scored 26 points on the
front nine. It was probably
all due to him. He played
his socks off.’
‘I knew I could go low on
the back nine and luckily
I managed to pull my weight
with a one-under-par nine
to get us over the line. It’s
a cliche, but we really did
dovetail nicely.’
The pair had recently
returned home from a golf
tour – which coincidentally
happened to have been at
Highland Gate, the venue
of the series final.
‘When I found out we’d
be going back for two days,
I was really psyched. The
course is fantastic and it’s
a phenomenal experience.
‘I am a bit of an Els design
addict – I love it at Copperleaf
and Oubaai, and Highland Gate
is another absolute gem.’
compleatgolfer.com
ELS FOR AUTISM
HOW IT STARTED
The Els for Autism
Foundation was established
in 2009 by Ernie and Liezl
Els to focus on autism,
a couple of years after
discovering their son,
Ben, was severely affected
by the disorder, which
impacts one in 68 people
worldwide. Els for Autism
aims to provide affected
families with best-practice
interventions and support.
In 2011, Ernie and Liezl
initiated a project to create
a service that would give
lower-resourced families
of children on the spectrum
in South Africa free access
to effective treatment and
the Ernie Els Centre for
Autism was born.
CONTACT
The Children’s Memorial
Institute (Gate 13), cnr
Empire Rd and Joubert
St Ext, Braamfontein 2011
Tel: (011) 484-7254
ernieelscentre4autism.co.za
southafrica@elsforautism.org
The chance to meet Els
should they triumph in the
finals would be the realisation
of a lifelong dream for Steyn.
‘Ernie is the reason I play the
game. I watched him during the
1990s when he was on fire and
I was instantly hooked.’
Steyn recalls a meeting
with Els’ long-time caddie
Ricci Roberts and the thought
of having some of his stories
confirmed by the four-time
Major winner would be the
icing on the cake.
‘There are many legendary
tales involving Ernie; I’d love to
find out which ones are 100%
true,’ he says with a grin.
He would also like to pick
his brain on Els For Autism
to find out the future plans,
especially within the South
African context.
But if Steyn wants to do
that, he will need to first put
himself in the picture by
seeing off a whole host of like-
minded golfers from around the
country, all jostling for the big
prize at Highland Gate early in
November. – Wade Pretorius
81
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CELEBRITY

One of South Africa’s

most successful
artists chats about
the experiences he’s
enjoyed on the course.
By Wade Pretorius

KURT
84
DARREN
compleatgolfer.com
 What are you playing off
these days?
For the longest time I’ve been
a 16 handicap but I don’t get
to play as much as I’d like to
because I have a pretty full
plate with two young kids and
touring regularly. Golf remains
my guilty pleasure – I absolutely
love being out on the course
with my mates, having a laugh.
Tell us a bit more about the
pro-am scene.
I love being on the course with
a professional. I’ve played with
many but one guy who sticks
out is James Kingston – he’s
such a gentleman and knows
how to have fun during a pro-
am or a non-competitive round.
I love watching and learning
from the pros.
Would you say you’re like
the rest of us on the course?
The way I play is probably the
same as most amateurs. There
are great days and average ones,
plenty of ups and downs. I’ve
learned that without practising
every aspect, from tee to green,
you don’t have a chance of
getting down to a single figure.
Which courses stand out?
I’m fortunate to play in a lot of
corporate days which take me to
the best courses in the country.
Leopard Creek is obviously
amazing. I snuck in a round on
a lovely course in Dallas during
a trip to the US, but Anahita in
Mauritius remains my favourite
track abroad. I had one of the
DARREN’S BIO
Kurt Darren is an
award-winning singer,
songwriter and television
presenter who has been
dominating the airwaves
since he released his first
album in 1995. Since then
LISA HNATOWICZ/LUKE WALKER/DANIEL SAAIMAN/GALLO IMAGES
he has won numerous
South African Music
Awards and taken his
talents to the big screen
in a number of locally
produced films. Darren
remains as popular
as ever and his music
has seen him gain fans
around the world.
Which is more stressful – singing
or teeing off?
I would 100% rather sing for a thousand people
than tee off in front of a thousand people. Hell,
I’d even sing naked rather than the alternative.
most enjoyable rounds there
with Derek Watts and Percy
Montgomery. I have a soft spot
for Zwartkop – nothing beats the
comfort of your home course.
What have you learned from
playing golf all these years?
Golf teaches you a lot about
people. You’re out there for
long time and your character
is instantly revealed. I recall
a nasty incident where a guy
slammed his putter into the
green after missing a short
putt – that’s a no-no in golf, you
just don’t do that kind of thing.
So you’re a fully-fledged
‘golf nut’?
I’m obsessed with the Majors.
I watch from the minute it
comes on until the last putt is
sunk. The highlights packages
are good but they won’t do – I
need to follow the hunt. I couldn’t
think of anything worse than
missing out on Jordan Spieth’s
dramatic recovery and his
electric finish to win The Open.
What’s on your golf bucket list?
Getting down to a single-figure
handicap – never say never
– is up there. And playing the
Old Course at St Andrews and
crossing the bridge would be
a dream come true.
Do you have an embarrassing
story to share with us?
I’ve had plenty, but playing
the day after the Nedbank Golf
Challenge a few years back
stands out. There were still
a few people hanging around
and the day was running a bit
slow, so a crowd had developed.
I stood over the ball, took a huge
swing and hit nothing but the
turf – the ball went nowhere.
I could almost hear my playing
partners thinking, ‘This is going
to be a long, long day.’
And your trademark pants?
(Laughs) Yes, that’s become
quite a thing. I was introduced
to a zebra pair a while back and
since then I’ve worn mermaids,
Superman and many other
weird and wonderful pairs.
I get ragged a lot but I wear
them with pride. They add
colour and I must confess to is to share what happened
even taking them overseas. during one of my Shootout
experiences. I was playing
You’ve known Brandon Stone in the final group and in with
a long time. a good chance of winning the
Yes, our families go way back. event. On the final day, we had
When he was still at school, we cameras on us on every shot
played a round at Copperleaf and my game got worse and
and afterwards he kindly helped worse. Eventually, with us out
carry my clubs to my car. He of the running I hit a beautiful
popped them into the boot 8-iron on to a par three and sank
where I had some of my brand- the birdie putt – I immediately
new albums. I offered him one looked for the camera but it was
and he replied: ‘No thanks Uncle focused on the adjacent fairway.
Kurt.’ I haven’t forgotten that
moment, I wonder if he has.
Now nobody knows that I can
actually hit it quite decently.
What describes your game But it’s not just about golf
the best – lucky or unlucky? with you, is it?
Probably the best way to explain I love playing the game
but it also brings fantastic
opportunities to help causes
close to my heart. I’ve been
supporting The Caring Daisies
Golf Day for years, which helps
hundreds of people on an annual
basis. Eight years ago, I started
my own day with Darren Scott
and by getting sporting icons
on board, we have managed
to donate financially and with
resources to a number of
deserving charities.
 R
off
h ine Tour isen
s re
he Sun. By Mike G

A
r on t
inne gain
tiple wd yards all a

E
A m u l
he har
to do t

L
R
uan de Smidt a rookie. ‘The best win for me was
is going back to Q-School,’ he says. ‘That was my first
school, because win. I didn’t win as an amateur. I went
that’s where to Q-School just hoping to get my card.’
he first shone. His final-round 67 beat out players of the
Qualifying calibre of Danie van Tonder, Michael Hollick
School, that is, and Jared Harvey. ‘The guys I qualified with
and this time it were really good players, so I was just happy
will be on the I was up there with them,’ he says.
European Tour. In a rookie year in which everything
The 27-year- Van Tonder did was feted – he did take the
old, who plays out of Krugersdorp Golf Rookie of the Year title ahead of De Smidt
Club, has won four times on the Sunshine – it was De Smidt who came through with
Tour, and when pressed to evaluate which that rarest of feats: a win in his first season
of those wins means the most to him, he on Tour.
chooses the one that doesn’t even count ‘Winning as a rookie was also special,’
as a victory on his Sunshine Tour profile: he says. ‘After that, I went through two
he took the honours in November 2011 at or three years that weren’t great. Then
the Sunshine Tour Q-School to earn his winning at Lost City in 2015 made me
playing privileges for the 2012 season. realise I can play out here, and getting
He went on to finish 30th on the Order two wins in three weeks last year made
of Merit that year, a pretty good feat for me feel like I belong.’
So, while it seems from the outside that
De Smidt is happily ensconced on the
Sunshine Tour, the ambition to break into
the European scene burns bright within
him. ‘I’m definitely going to Europe this
year [for stage two of the Q-School],’ he
says. ‘It’s expensive – you’ve got living
costs here, and then taking out R50 000
or R60 000 to go over is a big risk. Without
a sponsor, that’s hard work.
‘I love the Sunshine Tour, but I hope
I can get into Europe and play there too. It’s
always been one of my goals to get abroad,
as it is for any professional golfer. I want to
get into the top 50 or 100 in the world.
‘I still need to sort out a lot of things
before I get there, though. But I’ve made
the decision, I got into Second Stage, so
I’m definitely going. I’m hitting my irons
nicely and my short game is good. I’m
just struggling a bit with driving. I think
if I sort that out I should be good again.
 G
RUAN DE SMIDT

I N
N RVE
U
C
WaRReN liTTle/geTTY images/gallO images

compleatgolfer.com 87
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 RUAN DE SMIDT

I was struggling at the beginning of the

year with the putter, but it felt a lot better SUNSHINE TOUR
over the last little while.’ ORDER OF MERIT
De Smidt has done a good job of building
on what he has achieved during his five 2012 30th R496 803
and a half years on the Sunshine Tour, 2013 29th R652 280
and highlights what he has been able to 2014 31st R590 124
take from that time. ‘We’re very lucky in 2015 42nd R415 501
South Africa to be able to play on the Tour 2016-17 21st R854 701
almost throughout the whole year and stay 2017-18 27th R86 220
competitive,’ he says.
‘The golfers here are great, so every

‘It’s the love week is competitive. The guys coming

back from Europe definitely help the

of the game
strength of the fields. Everybody wants
to compete against them and see where

that keeps
they stand.’
De Smidt didn’t have the strongest start

me in it. All
to the 2017-18 Sunshine Tour season. A few
missed cuts have seen him go home earlier

of us know
than he would have liked, and he is not as
high on the Order of Merit as he feels he
SUNSHINE TOUR CV could be. His best finish on that money

2012 Suncoast Classic (1st), Zimbabwe
Open (3rd), Big Easy Tour – Houghton
(T3rd), Big Easy Tour – Observatory (3rd)
that when it list came last season, where his victories
at the Sun Carnival City Challenge and
goes bad, it the Sun Boardwalk Challenge saw him
occupy 21st spot.

can change
2013 Investec Royal Swazi Open (2nd), The eternal struggle to keep his game
Sun City Challenge (T5th)
in shape is one every player experiences

in a week. We
2014 Lombard Insurance Classic (T2nd),
and De Smidt doesn’t mince his words
Vodacom Origins Final (T4th), Nedbank
when he discusses it. ‘It’s a shit game
Affinity Cup (T5th)
2015 Nedbank Affinity Cup (1st)
2016 Sun Carnival City Challenge all hope the – you can put that in there!’ he laughs.
‘Once you think you’re close to where

next week will

(1st), Sun Boardwalk Challenge (1st), you need to be, all of a sudden it kicks
Sun Wild Coast Sun Challenge (2nd), you from behind again and then you’ve

be different’
Investec Royal Swazi Open (5th), got to try to start over.
Vodacom Origins – Sishen (T3rd) ‘It’s the love of the game that keeps me
2017 Investec Royal Swazi Open (T4th) in it. All of us know that when it goes bad,
it can change in a week. We all hope the
next week will be different.’

DE SMIDT Part of De Smidt’s process is playing

regularly with his brother Darin, who
BY NUMBERS is also trying to go down the road of
turning professional. ‘My brother is an

4 Career wins on the unbelievable player,’ he says. ‘I play with

Sunshine Tour him at Krugersdorp. He isn’t taking my
money yet, but it’s a close game. I get

17
Most consecutive him down the stretch. I think I’m just
cuts made on the more comfortable at the end than he is.
Sunshine Tour He tries too hard to beat me and if you
force a couple of things, it becomes a lot

24
harder than it should be.’
Perhaps therein lies the way for De Smidt
Times he has to keep his sanity and make going back to
finished in the top 10 at school in Europe as successful as his one
Sunshine Tour events shot at it in South Africa. He is a pretty
relaxed player, though, able to keep smiling
between shots and then refocusing on the
60 He came within one
luKe WalKeR/peTRi OesCHgeR/suNsHiNe TOuR/gallO images

shot of joining the task at hand when the next one needs to
fabled ‘59 club’ with a 60 be played.
on the Sunshine Tour So, keeping his head above water when
things seem to be going wrong comes

3.1m
naturally to De Smidt, and no one will
be surprised should he win again soon
on the Sunshine Tour.
And if he graduates near the top of the
Sunshine Tour career prize
class at the European Tour Q-School, it
money in rands
won’t be much of a surprise either.

compleatgolfer.com 89
 FULL STEAM
AHEAD
South Africa’s
dominant junior
is riding the crest
of a wave, with five
wins in his last
six junior events.

H
By Brendan Barratt

e may be just 16 years

old, but the country’s
top junior golfer seems
to have his future pretty
well planned. It might be what one
should expect from a kid who started
playing golf the moment he could walk
and who already has his own website,
but you can’t help buying into the dream
when Jayden Schaper talks about his
lofty ambitions.
‘I’ve worked hard with my dad to try
to map out my career,’ he says. ‘After
I finish school I will go to one of the top-
division universities in the US and from
there I will work my way on to the PGA
Tour. I’ve been exploring scholarship
options but obviously it’s too early for
colleges to make any formal approaches.’
Given his recent run of success, there
should be no shortage of suitors once
Schaper’s name finds its way on to
the US colleges’ radar. The Ebotse
golfer recently added the U17 and
U19 national titles to his CV to
complete what some have dubbed
the ‘Nomads Slam’ – winning all
four national age-group titles.
Schaper also claimed the
Dimension Data Junior Open
and the Tshwane Junior Open
to cap a spell where he tasted
IMAGE: SUPPLIED

victory in five out of the six

junior events he played in.

compleatgolfer.com 91
JAYDEN SCHAPER

‘I realised that
I couldn’t afford
to become
complacent
– that you are
never good SA JUNIOR
enough to be RANKING (U18)
1. Jayden Schaper

able to stop 2. Christo Lamprecht Jnr

3. Wilco Nienaber

working hard’ 4. Luke Mayo

To cap it off, Schaper has been a regular
fixture in the SA Junior team, having
represented his country at events in
Italy, Japan and Zimbabwe.
‘The first time I received my junior
5. Garrick Higgo
6. Luca Filippi Schaper forms part of a crop of very
7. Tyron Davidowitz talented youngsters who are coming
8. Werner Deyzel through the South African junior golf
9. Martin Vorster system. The likes of Garrick Higgo, Luca
10. Keegan McLachlan Filippi, Wilco Nienaber and reigning SA
Amateur champion Christo Lamprecht Jnr
SA OPEN – all of whom, like Schaper, are part of Golf

AMATEUR
colours was in Italy last year,’ he says. RSA’s National Squad – have the makings
‘It was exciting to compare myself to all of what could turn out to be a golden
the other junior players, including some
of the best players in the world. I played RANKING
1. Kyle McClatchie
generation for South African golf.
‘We all get along really well,’ says Schaper.
solid and finished tie-ninth, which gave ‘We have travelled together overseas and
2. Garrick Higgo
me a lot of confidence and showed me we play against each other a lot. There’s no
3. Malcolm Mitchell
I could compete with the best. 4. Matt Saulez doubt tougher competition drives you to
‘But I also realised that I couldn’t afford 5. Marco Steyn work harder and play better, so I’m grateful
to become complacent – that you are never 6. Christo Lamprecht Jnr for it.’
good enough to be able to stop working 7. Luca Filippi Yet despite the stiff competition, the
hard. I looked at the other players and 8. Albert Venter youngster has opened up a yawning
thought to myself, “I need to be putting 9. Clayton Mansfield gap on his nearest rivals when it comes
in more effort than all of them.”’ 10. Therion Nel to the junior rankings.

IMAGES: SUPPLIED/GAVIN WITHERS PHOTOGRAPHY

92 compleatgolfer.com
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JAYDEN SCHAPER
‘I’ve been working hard with my coach,
Grant Veenstra,’ Schaper says. ‘I’ve always
been solid from tee to green, so I just
needed to tidy up around the greens
– particularly with my putting.
‘I’ve been putting well, and I’ve got
to the point where I know that if I putt
well I will have a good tournament.’
The confidence his good form
has brought has allowed Schaper
a degree of swagger when he tees
it up at junior events.
‘I once watched a video about Jason
Day where he spoke about arriving at
a tournament as a junior and the other
players knowing they were playing for
second place,’ he says. ‘That’s where
The confidence his good form
has brought has allowed Schaper
a degree of swagger when he
tees it up at junior events
94 compleatgolfer.com
I want to be; to have that level of confidence
and motivation.’
The next step in the progression of the
Ekurhuleni golfer must be to convert his
junior form into good results on the open
amateur circuit, where he has played
relatively few events and is therefore
ranked only 32nd.
But with an already-packed schedule
of local and international tournaments
and travel for the youngster, he will need
to carefully juggle school and golf to make
sure he gets the best out of both. Schaper,
it seems, is taking it in his stride.
‘I’ve been playing tournament golf
since I was six years old, when I was
playing SA Kids Golf,’ he says, ‘so I’m
NOMADS
IN GOLF
Since 1960, Nomads has been raising
money for golf development and charity
organisations. Its ‘Furtherance of Golf’
campaign has seen Nomads as a strong
supporter of junior golf in South Africa,
to the point where it now sponsors
all four boys national age-group
championships and five National Order
of Merit events. Additionally, it sponsors
women’s golf events, the South African
Golf Development Board and the South
African Disabled Golf Association.
Nomads’ influence in junior golf has
seen many of the country’s top young
talents develop into accomplished
professionals who do South Africa
proud on the world stage.
used to it. And I get such great support from
my mom and dad.
‘I attend the Home Zone Education Centre
in Ebotse, which has been accommodating.
Because I live so close to the estate, it makes
it easier to get my school work done because
there is less travelling and I can catch up
on my school work while I’m travelling.’
It may still be early days, but it is clear
that Schaper’s golfing career is neatly
following the script he and his parents
have written. The next few chapters will
be interesting, but the young man is
determined to follow his mantra: believe
IMAGE: SUPPLIED
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more believers soon.
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 FEAST
FOLLOWS
FAMINE Another dip into the archives for a story worth
repeating. This, from Sports Illustrated, was written
20 years ago, in October 1997, on the eve of the Tour
Championship, for which David Duval was the favourite
P recisely what it takes to be a
tournament winner is one of the
biggest mysteries in golf, which
is why we’ve been so fascinated
with David Duval. The 25-year-old Duval
has unmistakable talent, blending power
and touch with a knack for affixing his
name to leaderboards.
Yet in his first 92 Tour events, Duval
never won.
Seven second-place finishes in his
three seasons on Tour only undermined
Duval, costing him a seat on the starship
that has propelled the game’s elite
twentysomethings – Ernie Els, Justin
Leonard, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods
– into a singular orbit.
Duval was instead known as the most
gifted player left off the US Ryder Cup team.
Despite all that game and a 4-0 record at
last year’s Presidents Cup, the four-time
All-American at Georgia Tech had become
JAMIE SQUIRE/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
the wunderkind who didn’t have the head,
the heart, the backbone or the stomach
(you pick the body part) to win.
In less than a fortnight, though, Duval
has come up with whatever was missing.
Two weeks ago he broke through at the
Michelob Championship, and by defeating
Dan Forsman in a playoff at the Walt
Disney World/Oldsmobile Golf Classic
on Sunday in Orlando, Duval is suddenly
a two-time winner. The player who
couldn’t seem to handle the heat is now
the first one on Tour to win consecutive
tournaments in sudden death.
Naturally, mystery buffs want to know
why. Surely Duval had undergone an
epiphany, a visitation, some aha! that
turned him from patsy to predator. Not
really. To the best of his knowledge, Duval
says, he has played pretty much the same
game, although he has gotten a few more
breaks and someone else hasn’t passed
him with a hot final round.
‘I used to know I could do it, but I still
always tried to do it,’ he says. ‘People want
to hear something more dramatic, but that’s
all there is.’
We told you it’s a mystery. But what isn’t
is that Duval, not Leonard, Mickelson or
Woods, is now the hottest US golfer and the
favourite to win the $720 000 first prize
at the season-ending Tour Championship
in Houston. If Duval does win, he will have
turned a year in which he was languishing
as a footnote into a nearly $2-million
success story.
Such a scenario shouldn’t come as
a surprise. As the close finishes and
late fades mounted, the line on Duval
was that once he finally prevailed, the
victories would come in bunches. In the
past few months, however, as Woods, Els
and Leonard won Majors and Mickelson
gained his 12th Tour title, that presumption
was being questioned. Rather than kicking
into overdrive to join the pacesetters, Duval
got stuck in second.
He seemed primed last February when
a third-round 62 at Pebble Beach, which
included a record 28 on the front nine, gave
him a three-stroke lead going into Sunday,
but a closing 71 left him a stroke behind
winner Mark O’Meara and tied with Woods.
Five weeks later Duval led at Doral after
54 holes, only to finish fourth. That was
followed by a long stretch of mediocre play,
punctuated by a closing 72 in Atlanta, where
he came in second yet again. ‘At Atlanta,
I started doubting myself,’ he admits.
Still, Duval, who was seventh on the
Ryder Cup points list at mid-season, seemed
to be a lock to qualify for the team. Then, in
another swoon, he failed to earn a point in
the 10 tournaments ending with the PGA
and drifted all the way to 16th.
compleatgolfer.com 97
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 CLASSIC READ

Even though he went the extra mile

and auditioned for Tom Kite during a
FINAL 1997 PGA TOUR MONEY LIST – TOP 20
Rank Player Earnings Events Wins
sparsely attended US reconnaissance
1 Tiger Woods (US) $2 066 833 21 4
mission to Valderrama in July, Kite didn’t
2 David Duval (US) $1 885 308 29 3
make Duval one of his two captain’s picks,
opting instead for Fred Couples, who was 3 Davis Love III (US) $1 635 953 25 2
17th on the list, and Lee Janzen (15th). The 4 Jim Furyk (US) $1 619 480 27 0
reason given was that Duval had no Ryder 5 Justin Leonard (US) $1 587 531 29 2
Cup experience. The truth is that he was 6 Scott Hoch (US) $1 393 788 22 1
passed over because he hadn’t won. Rather 7 Greg Norman (Aus) $1 345 856 15 2
than being considered a champion in the 8 Steve Elkington (Aus) $1 320 411 17 2
making, Duval was perceived as someone 9 Ernie Els (SA) $1 243 008 19 2
who couldn’t get the job done. 10 Brad Faxon (US) $1 233 505 23 1
Such a setback might have damaged the 11 Phil Mickelson (US) $1 225 390 21 2
confidence of a less self-possessed player, 12 Jesper Parnevik (Swe) $1 217 587 19 0
but Duval stayed the course. He knew part
13 Mark O’Meara (US) $1 124 560 22 2
of his problem stemmed from the dramatic
14 Mark Calcavecchia (US) $1 117 365 27 1
changes in his physique brought on by
15 Loren Roberts (US) $1 089 140 24 1
the fitness regimen he had begun before
the 1996 season. From a high of 102kg, 16 Vijay Singh (Fij) $1 059 236 21 2
the 1.8m Duval (his 74cm inseam earned 17 Nick Price (Zim) $1 053 845 16 1
him the nickname ‘Penguin’ at Georgia 18 Stuart Appleby (Aus) $1 003 356 23 1
Tech) levelled off at a lithe 82, his waistline 19 Tom Lehman (US) $960 584 21 0
shrinking from size 38 to 32. 20 Steve Jones (US) $959 108 24 2

As the close finishes and

late fades mounted, the line
on Duval was that once he
finally prevailed, the victories
would come in bunches
Duval’s real goal has been to become
stronger, which he has achieved through
a weightlifting programme that’s Herculean
for a golfer. Though he says he has never
maxed out, he can do five sets of bench
presses with 79kg and sometimes works
with 34kg dumbbells. (Coincidently or not,
Woods adheres to a similar workout.)
The short-term downside, however, was
that Duval lost some of the touch that is
crucial to scoring. ‘I got hammer hands
for a while,’ he says, ‘and a lot of people
wondered if lifting wasn’t a dumb move.’
Duval also kept reminding himself that
at every level of competition – beginning
with youth golf, which culminated with
his victory at the ’89 US Junior – he has
never been a quick study. After turning
pro in 1993, Duval failed at the Q-School
and had to play on the Nike Tour, where in
his first year he didn’t earn enough money
to graduate to the PGA Tour. That steeled
STEPHEN DUNN/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

him for whatever might happen later on.

‘David knows from experience that he does
his best when things are familiar,’ says
his girlfriend of four years, Julie McArthur.
‘Routine and comfort help him focus.’
Although the biggest influence on
Duval’s game has been his father, Bob,

compleatgolfer.com 99
CLASSIC READ

‘I’ve tried to remind him that who’s completing a successful rookie

season on the Senior Tour, his best counsel

the more times he has come

has come from sports psychologist Bob
Rotella. With Duval, Rotella has preached

close, the closer he is to

patience. ‘I’ve tried to remind him that the
more times he has come close, the closer

winning. That each occasion

he is to winning,’ Rotella says. ‘That each
occasion was a time to believe more, not

was a time to believe more,

less. And that when it happened, he would
look back and say, “Is that all it was?”’

not less’ – Bob Rotella

Rotella was right. In a tournament whose
pro-am format over the first three days can
test the patience of pros worn out at the
end of a long season, Duval coolly opened
with a 65, and by the time he closed with
a 70 on a blustery final day, he had made
27 birdies to finish 18 under par.
On Sunday he survived a three-putt
from 12 feet on the 9th hole that dropped
him three strokes behind Forsman. He
made an impossibly fast 40-footer for
birdie at the 11th and three more birdies
to take a one-stroke lead to the 72nd,
which he bogeyed.
If Duval feared he was reverting to
an old pattern, he still had an advantage
over Forsman. An amiable 39-year-old who
hasn’t won since 1992, Forsman admitted
that he was extremely nervous. In the
playoff he thought about victory when
Duval skinned a bunker shot 15 feet past
the pin. All Forsman had was a 35-foot
chip from the fringe. ‘I thought, Yeah,
the table’s set,’ he said.
But when he addressed his ball, ‘my
hands were shaking’. Forsman stubbed
the shot and then ran his putt six feet
by the hole.
After Duval made his putt for the win,
Forsman conceded that he was relieved.
‘The way things were going, I would’ve
missed that one, too,’ he said.
Forsman’s red eyes betrayed how
desperately he wanted to win, in particular
to erase the memory of the 1993 Masters.
Only one stroke back on Sunday, Forsman
dunked his tee shot on the 12th hole into
Rae’s Creek and made quadruple-bogey
seven. ‘I want to bury that goddam Masters,’
he said with uncharacteristic ferocity, ‘but
winning – getting it done – is so difficult.
I want to know what makes other guys do it.’
Unfortunately, that’s still a mystery, even
for David Duval, who should know better
than anyone.

Duval went on to win the Tour

Championship, his third successive
win on the PGA Tour. Now 45, he won
13 times on the PGA Tour, including
the 2001 Open Championship, and
JAMIE SQUIRE/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

he reached world No 1 in 1999.

DUVAL’S 1997 VICTORIES

Tournament Score Runner-up
Michelob Championship 67 66 71 67 271 Playoff Grant Waite, Duffy Waldorf
Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic 65 70 65 70 270 Playoff Dan Forsman
The Tour Championship 66 69 70 68 273 Jim Furyk

100 compleatgolfer.com
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 CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER
PICK OF THE MONTH LEADERBOARD
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP Rory McIlroy (NIre) 68 70 66 64 268
EAST LAKE GC, ATLANTA Ryan Moore (US) 70 68 66 64 268
Kevin Chappell (US) 66 68 68 66 268
2016 winner: Rory McIlroy Paul Casey (Eng) 68 70 69 64 271
won a playoff to seal victory Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 66 71 68 69 274
at the Tour Championship and Justin Thomas (US) 68 71 69 67 275
take the $10-million FedExCup Dustin Johnson (US) 66 67 69 73 275
prize, the PGA Tour’s season- Adam Scott (Aus) 69 71 71 65 276
long points race. The Northern
Jason Dufner (US) 73 67 66 70 276
Irishman rolled in a birdie
*McIlroy beat Moore on the fourth sudden-death playoff hole
from 15 feet to edge out Ryan
Moore on the fourth playoff hole to win the $1.5-million
tournament and beat US Open champion Dustin three weeks earlier. ‘I couldn’t control what anyone else did.
Johnson, who finished seven shots off the lead, to the I needed to play a really good round of golf.’ McIlroy was three
FedExCup. McIlroy and Moore hit final-round 64s to set shots off the lead with three holes to play, but a 137-yard eagle
up a three-way playoff with Moore’s fellow American at the 16th sparked his fightback. A birdie at 18, after a chip from
Kevin Chappell, who posted a 66. ‘All I wanted to do was a bunker to within two feet, sealed his place in the playoff.
concentrate on winning the Tour Championship,’ said 2016 top South African: Charl Schwartzel, tied 10th on 278,
McIlroy, who won the Deutsche Bank Championship 10 shots behind the playoff spot.

DATE EVENT VENUE

31 Aug – 2 Sept Sunshine Tour: Vodacom Origins – Zimbali Zimbali Golf Club
31 Aug – 3 Sept LPGA Tour: Cambia Portland Classic Columbia Edgewater Country Club
European Tour: D+D Real Czech Masters Albatross Golf Resort
1-3 Sept Champions Tour: Shaw Charity Classic Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club
1-4 PGA Tour: Dell Technologies Championship TPC Boston
6-8 Sun Fish River Challenge Fish River Sun Country Club
7-9 LPGA Tour: Indy Women in Tech Brickyard Crossing Golf Club
7-10 European Tour: Omega European Masters Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club
8-10 Champions Tour: Japan Airlines Championship Narita Golf Club
13-15 Sunshine Tour: Sun Boardwalk Challenge Humewood Golf Club
14-17 PGA Tour: BMW Championship Conway Farms Golf Club
European Tour: KLM Open The Dutch
LPGA Tour: The Evian Championship Evian Resort Golf Club
15-17 Champions Tour: Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Bear Mountain Resort
15-19 PGA of America: PGA Cup Foxhills Club & Resort
21-23 Sunshine Tour: Vodacom Origins – St Francis St Francis Links
21-24 PGA Tour: Tour Championship East Lake Golf Club
European Tour: Portugal Masters Oceanico Victoria Golf Course
22-24 Champions Tour: Pure Insurance Championship Pebble Beach Golf Links
STAN BADZ/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES

28 Sept – 1 Oct PGA of America: Senior PGA Professional Championship Desert Mountain
European Tour: British Masters Close House
/GETTY IMAGES

LPGA Tour: New Zealand Women’s Open Windross Farm Golf Course
PGA Tour: The Presidents Cup Liberty National Golf Course

compleatgolfer.com 103
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104 compleatgolfer.com

7 November 2004
Tiger Woods squandered
a lead in the final round
of a PGA Tour event for
only the third time in
his career, allowing South
Africa’s Retief Goosen to
win the Tour Championship
by four strokes.
Fast-closing Goosen, the
reigning US Open champion,
was four strokes behind co-
leaders Woods and Jay Haas
when the day began. But he
fired a final-round six-under-
par 64, the day’s low score,
to finish 72 holes on 11-under-
par 269.
AL MESSERSCHMIDT/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
‘It’s great to finish off the
season this way. It has been
a great year,’ Goosen said.
A dejected Woods had
won 30 of 32 events when
he held the lead heading
into the final round on the
PGA Tour.
‘Very disappointed. It was
a golden opportunity to
win a tournament,’ he said.
‘Four shots ahead, I was
looking forward to shooting
something in the 60s to win
the tournament. But obviously
that didn’t happen.
‘I feel very bad. I feel
like I should have won
the tournament.’
The last time Woods had
led after 54 holes but failed
to win was at the 2000 Tour
Championship, when Phil
Mickelson won the crown.
The only time before that
was in 1996 when Ed Fiori
denied then rookie Woods
his first title at Quad Cities.
Goosen opened and closed
the front nine with birdies,
adding another at the 3rd,
to move into contention.
A run of three birdies in
four holes, starting at the
13th, lifted him atop the
leaderboard and put him
in the running for the win,
worth $1.8-million.
‘In a way, I like to hang
around under the radar,’ he
said. ‘I show up and play, and
hopefully on the Sunday pick
up the cheque and go home.
‘Tiger, Vijay [Singh] and
Ernie [Els] are in a different
league with the number of
tournaments they’ve won.
I have to win a few more
to enjoy that stature.’
After bogeys on three of
the first seven holes, Woods
birdied three of the next eight
holes, but he then bogeyed
the 16th and 17th, ending his
hopes of catching Goosen.
‘At the start of the day
I thought 11 or 12 under
would win,’ Goosen said.
compleatgolfer.com
LEADERBOARD
Retief Goosen (SA)
70 66 69 64 269
Tiger Woods (US)
72 64 65 72 273
Jerry Kelly (US)
67 71 71 65 274
Stephen Ames (Can)
69 66 70 70 275
Mike Weir (Can)
69 69 67 70 275
Mark Hensby (Aus)
69 70 69 67 275
Jay Haas (US)
67 66 68 75 276
Scott Verplank (US)
74 67 68 67 276
Vijay Singh (Fiji)
69 73 70 65 277
Ernie Els (SA)
72 71 68 67 278
Rory Sabbatini (SA)
71 68 71 68 278
David Toms (US)
68 73 70 67 278
‘When I saw that Tiger and
Jay had got off to a bad start
I thought nine under would
be a good score.’
The cheers from the
spectators clearly showed
that Woods, not Goosen,
was the crowd favourite.
‘Those things don’t bother
me any more,’ Goosen said.
‘They applaud good shots
and when you miss one
they also boo you. They
say, “Tiger is going to win”
or, “Here comes Tiger.”
I understand that guys
have been drinking all day.
If anything, it makes me
a little more determined.’
Haas, an American trying
for his first title since 1993,
faded on the front nine and
went double-bogey, bogey
at 16 and 17 to put an end
to his hopes.
World No 1 Singh, 41, who
displaced Woods atop the
rankings in September, failed
in his bid for a 10th victory
of the season. A final-round
65 left him ninth on 277.
He finished with a record
$10 905 166 in total prize
money, nearly double that
of his nearest rival, Els.
105
A CORNER DEDICATED TO GOLF’S TRIERS /// AndY cApOSTAGnO
COLUMN
East West, Home’s Best
What happened was
this: Brett Proctor, cricket
commentator extraordinaire,
was preparing to do a radio
commentary on rugby at
Kings Park. The Sharks
were playing the Griquas
in a Currie Cup game and
he and I were the only people
in the press box. So we got
chatting and I asked him if
he knew that Curwin Bosch
was from Alexandria.
‘Alexandria in the Eastern
Cape?’ he asked. ‘The same,’
I replied. He then said: ‘Just
past Kenton-on-Sea there’s
a nine-hole golf course next
to the highway as you drive
through. Looks lovely.’
I was intrigued. I’m funny
that way. So, on Monday
morning I sat down at my
computer and looked for
The important bit comes right at the end: ‘Price range ... R40-R70.’
Read that and weep, Minnesota. Nine holes of golf for under $5. One
of the many reasons South Africa is the greatest country in the world
106 compleatgolfer.com
Alexandria Golf Club.
Bingo. Tom Lehman is
the pro there. Drive north-
west out of Minneapolis
on Interstate 94, and about
halfway between St Cloud,
Minnesota, and Fargo, North
Dakota, you’ll find Alexandria.
‘Easy to get to, hard to leave,’
says the mayor, Sara Carlson.
Wait a minute ... wrong
continent. The Alexandria
Golf Club we are looking
for is a little more modest
and on the other side of the
world. Google Maps denies its
existence, but Worldgolf.com
not only acknowledges it,
but tells you everything you
need to know. The nine holes
were built in 1955, it’s closed
on Mondays, has clubs for
hire and welcomes visitors.
The important bit comes
right at the end: ‘Price range ...
R40-R70.’ Read that and weep,
Minnesota. Nine holes of golf
for under $5. One of the many
reasons South Africa is the
greatest country in the world.
I could have stopped, but
somewhere deep within my
psyche is an investigative
journalist trying to escape.
There’s a Facebook page
with pictures. Intriguingly,
only one is of the course,
an unidentified green with
the sun going down in the
background. But there’s a
lovely pic of a Cape vulture,
and many more of well-fed
people accepting awards for
the pursuit of the dimpled ball.
There’s also a pic of the
bronze award given to the
club by the John Collier
Environmental Compliance
M
CM
MY
CY
CMY
and Governance Survey, one
of the golf industry’s annual K
measures of sustainability.
So, Alexandria GC is definitely
on the map, despite Google’s
insistence that it is not.
How do I get there, I hear
you ask. Well, you could ask
Curwin Bosch. Or you could
head east out of Port Elizabeth
along the coastal road. Past
Colchester on the N2, you
make a right on to the R72
and about an hour later, hey
presto, you’re in Alex.
I couldn’t help thinking
about that other club, though,
the one in Minnesota. It’s
right in the middle of Garrison
Keillor country and I’m a big
Keillor fan. There are lakes
everywhere and one of them
is certain to be called Lake
Wobegon. Alexandria is the
home of the annual ‘Grape
Stomp’ festival, and of Big Ole,
a 25-foot statue of a Viking
ILLUSTRATION: STUART APSEY
which was built for the World’s
Fair in New York City in 1964.
On second thoughts ...
Eastern Cape, here I come.
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