South African Open (golf)
The South African Open Championship is one of the oldest national open golf championships in the world, having first been played in 1903, and is one of the principal tournaments on the Southern-Africa-based Sunshine Tour. Since 1997 it has also been co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
Tournament information | |
---|---|
Location | Sun City, South Africa |
Established | 1903 |
Course(s) | Gary Player Country Club |
Tour(s) | Sunshine Tour European Tour (1997–) Asian Tour (2018) |
Format | Stroke play |
Prize fund | R 19,500,000 |
Month played | December |
Tournament record score | |
Aggregate | 264 Ernie Els (2006) |
To par | −24 (as above) |
Current champion | |
Christiaan Bezuidenhout | |
Location Map | |
Gary Player CC Location in South Africa Gary Player CC Gary Player CC (North West (South African province)) |
From 1999 to 2016, the tournament was the Sunshine Tour's flagship event for the purposes of the Official World Golf Ranking, earning a minimum of 32 OWGR points for the winner. It was replaced as the flagship event for 2017 by the Alfred Dunhill Championship before regaining its status the following year.[1] In 2020, the Alfred Dunhill Championship once again replaced the South African Open as the tour's flagship event.[2]
In December 2018, the event became part of the Open Qualifying Series, giving up to three non-exempt players entry into The Open Championship.
History
The first formal event was organised in 1903, following a series of exhibition matches that had been held over the preceding ten years. The championship was initially contested over just 36 holes until 1908, when it was extended to become a 72-hole tournament.[3] Although non-whites had played in the South African Open before, most notably when Papwa Sewgolum finished second in 1963, it was not until 1972 that black golfers were allowed to compete.[4]
From 2011 until February 2020 it was held in the Johannesburg area; twice at Serengeti Golf Club, followed by five times at Glendower Golf Club, and then twice at Randpark Golf Club. In December 2020 it will move away from Johannesburg and be held at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.
Gary Player has been the most successful player in the tournament's history, with 13 victories over four decades between 1956 and 1981. Bobby Locke won nine titles, Sid Brews won eight titles, and George Fotheringham won the event five times.
Winners
Year[lower-alpha 1] | Tour[lower-alpha 2] | Winner[lower-alpha 3] | Score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up[lower-alpha 3] | Venue | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
South African Open | ||||||||
2020 (Dec) | AFR, EUR | Christiaan Bezuidenhout | 270 | −18 | 5 strokes | Jamie Donaldson | Gary Player CC | |
South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg | ||||||||
2020 (Jan) | AFR, EUR | Branden Grace | 263 | −21 | 3 strokes | Louis Oosthuizen | Randpark GC | |
2019 | No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January | |||||||
2018 (Dec) | AFR, EUR | Louis Oosthuizen | 266 | −18 | 6 strokes | Romain Langasque | Randpark GC | |
BMW SA Open | ||||||||
2018 (Jan) | AFR, EUR | Chris Paisley | 267 | −21 | 3 strokes | Branden Grace | Glendower GC | |
2017 | AFR, EUR | Graeme Storm | 270 | −18 | Playoff[lower-alpha 4] | Rory McIlroy | Glendower GC | [5] |
2016 | AFR, EUR | Brandon Stone | 274 | −14 | 2 strokes | Christiaan Bezuidenhout | Glendower GC | |
South African Open Championship | ||||||||
2015 | AFR, EUR | Andy Sullivan | 277 | −11 | Playoff[lower-alpha 5] | Charl Schwartzel | Glendower GC | [6] |
2014 | No tournament due to rescheduling from November to January | |||||||
2013 | AFR, EUR | Morten Ørum Madsen | 269 | −19 | 2 strokes | Jbe' Kruger Hennie Otto | Glendower GC | |
SA Open Championship | ||||||||
2012 | AFR, EUR | Henrik Stenson | 271 | −17 | 3 strokes | George Coetzee | Serengeti GC | |
2011 | AFR, EUR | Hennie Otto | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Bernd Wiesberger | Serengeti GC | |
South African Open Championship | ||||||||
2010 | AFR, EUR | Ernie Els (5) | 263 | −25[lower-alpha 6] | 1 stroke | Retief Goosen | Durban CC | |
2009 | AFR, EUR | Richie Ramsay | 275 | −13 | Playoff[lower-alpha 7] | Shiv Kapur | Pearl Valley | [7] |
2008 | AFR, EUR | Richard Sterne | 274 | −14 | Playoff[lower-alpha 8] | Gareth Maybin | Pearl Valley | [8] |
South African Airways Open | ||||||||
2007 | AFR, EUR | James Kingston | 284 | −4 | 1 stroke | Oliver Wilson | Pearl Valley | |
2006 | AFR, EUR | Ernie Els (4) | 264 | −24 | 3 strokes | Trevor Immelman | Humewood GC | |
2005 (Dec) | AFR, EUR | Retief Goosen (2) | 282 | −10 | 1 stroke | Ernie Els | Fancourt | |
2005 (Jan) | AFR, EUR | Tim Clark (2) | 273 | −15 | 6 strokes | Grégory Havret Charl Schwartzel | Durban CC | |
2004 | AFR, EUR | Trevor Immelman (2) | 276 | −12 | 3 strokes | Alastair Forsyth Steve Webster | Erinvale GC | |
2003 | AFR, EUR | Trevor Immelman | 274 | −14 | Playoff[lower-alpha 9] | Tim Clark | Erinvale GC | [9] |
Bell's South African Open | ||||||||
2002 | AFR, EUR | Tim Clark | 269 | −19 | 2 strokes | Steve Webster | The Country Club | |
Mercedes-Benz South African Open | ||||||||
2001 | AFR, EUR | Mark McNulty (2) | 280 | −8 | 1 stroke | Justin Rose | East London GC | |
2000 | AFR, EUR | Mathias Grönberg | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Darren Fichardt Ricardo González Nick Price | Randpark GC | |
Mercedes-Benz – Vodacom South African Open | ||||||||
1999 | AFR, EUR | David Frost (2) | 279 | −5 | 1 stroke | Scott Dunlap Jeev Milkha Singh | Stellenbosch GC | |
South African Open | ||||||||
1998 | AFR, EUR | Ernie Els (3) | 273 | −15 | 3 strokes | David Frost | Durban CC | |
1997 | AFR, EUR | Vijay Singh | 270 | −18 | 1 stroke | Nick Price | Glendower GC | |
Phillips South African Open | ||||||||
1996 | AFR | Ernie Els (2) | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke | Brenden Pappas | Royal Cape GC | |
1995 | AFR | Retief Goosen | 275 | −13 | 5 strokes | Ernie Els | Randpark GC | |
1994 | No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January | |||||||
1993 (Dec) | AFR | Tony Johnstone (2) | 267 | −21 | 7 strokes | Ernie Els | Durban CC | |
1993 (Feb) | AFR | Clinton Whitelaw | 279 | −9 | 2 strokes | Retief Goosen | Glendower GC | |
Protea Assurance South African Open | ||||||||
1992 | AFR | Ernie Els | 273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Derek James | Houghton GC | |
1991 | AFR | Wayne Westner (2) | 272 | −16 | 4 strokes | Mark James Tony Johnstone | Durban CC | |
1990 | AFR | Trevor Dodds | 285 | −3 | 1 stroke | Hugh Royer III | Royal Cape | [10] |
1989 | AFR | Fred Wadsworth | 278 | −10 | 1 stroke | Tom Lehman | Glendower | |
Southern Suns South African Open | ||||||||
1988 | AFR | Wayne Westner | 275 | −13 | 2 strokes | Ian Mosey | Durban CC | [11] |
1987 | AFR | Mark McNulty | 278 | −10 | Playoff[lower-alpha 10] | Fulton Allem | Mowbray | [12][13] |
1986 | AFR | David Frost | 275 | −13 | 3 strokes | Tony Johnstone | Royal Johannesburg | [14] |
South African Open Championship Title sponsors unknown 1983–1985 | ||||||||
1985 | AFR | Gavan Levenson | 280 | −8 | 3 strokes | Phil Simmons | Royal Durban | [15] |
1984 | AFR | Tony Johnstone | 274 | −14 | 3 strokes | Fulton Allem | Houghton | |
1983 | AFR | Charlie Bolling | 278 | −10 | 1 stroke | Tertius Claassens | Royal Cape | |
1982 | No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January | |||||||
Datson South African Open | ||||||||
1981 | AFR | Gary Player (13) | 272 | −16 | Playoff[lower-alpha 11] | John Bland Warren Humphreys | Royal Johannesburg | [16] |
1980 | AFR | Bobby Cole (2) | 279 | −9 | 4 strokes | Mark McNulty | Durban CC | [17] |
British Airways/Yellow Pages South African Open | ||||||||
1979 | AFR | Gary Player (12) | 279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Ian Mosey | Houghton | [18] |
Yellow Pages South African Open | ||||||||
1978 | AFR | Hugh Baiocchi | 285 | −3 | 1 stroke | Gavan Levenson | Mowbray | [19] |
1977 | AFR | Gary Player (11) | 273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Bobby Cole Dale Hayes | Royal Johannesburg | |
1976 (Nov) | AFR | Gary Player (10) | 280 | −8 | 6 strokes | David Suddards (a) Bobby Verwey | Durban CC | [20] |
BP South African Open | ||||||||
1976 (Feb) | AFR | Dale Hayes | 287 | −1 | Playoff[lower-alpha 12] | John Fourie | Houghton | [21] |
1975 | AFR | Gary Player (9) | 278 | −10 | 6 strokes | Allan Henning | Mowbray | [22] |
South African Open Championship | ||||||||
1974 | AFR | Bobby Cole | 272 | −16 | 4 strokes | Allan Henning | Royal Johannesburg | [23] |
1973 | AFR | Bob Charles | 282 | −6 | 3 strokes | Vin Baker Bobby Cole Graham Marsh | Durban CC | [24] |
1972 | AFR | Gary Player (8) | 274 | −18 | 1 stroke | Bobby Cole | Royal Johannesburg | [25] |
1971 | Simon Hobday | 276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Gary Player | Mowbray | [26] | |
1970 | Tommy Horton | 285 | 3 strokes | Terry Westbrook | Royal Durban | |||
1969 | Gary Player (7) | 273 | 6 strokes | Trevor Wilkes | Durban CC | |||
1968 | Gary Player (6) | 274 | 7 strokes | Cobie Legrange | Houghton | |||
1967 | Gary Player (5) | 279 | 3 strokes | Allan Henning Mike Hoyle | East London | |||
1966 | Gary Player (4) | 278 | 1 stroke | Harold Henning Cobie Legrange | Houghton | |||
1965 | Gary Player (3) | 273 | 3 strokes | John Hayes | Royal Cape | |||
1964 | No tournament due to two events in 1963 | |||||||
1963 (Dec) | Allan Henning | 278 | 2 strokes | Bruce Keyter | Bloemfontein | |||
1963 (Mar) | Retief Waltman (2) | 281 | 1 stroke | Sewsunker Sewgolum | Durban CC | |||
1962 | Harold Henning (2) | 285 | 1 stroke | Denis Hutchinson | Houghton | |||
1961 | Retief Waltman | 289 | 8 strokes | Barry Franklin (a) | East London | |||
1960 | Gary Player (2) | 280 | 7 strokes | Harold Henning Tommy Trevena | Mowbray | |||
1959 | Denis Hutchinson (a) | 282 | 1 stroke | Gary Player | Royal Johannesburg | |||
1958 | Arthur Stewart | 281 | 1 stroke | Bobby Locke | Bloemfontein | |||
1957 | Harold Henning | 289 | Playoff[lower-alpha 13] | Sandy Guthrie | Humewood | |||
1956 | Gary Player | 286 | 3 strokes | Bruce Keyter | Durban CC | |||
1955 | Bobby Locke (9) | 283 | 1 stroke | Reg Taylor | Zwartkop | |||
1954 | Reg Taylor (a) | 289 | 2 strokes | Jannie le Roux | East London | |||
1953 | Jimmy Boyd | 302 | Playoff[lower-alpha 14] | Otway Hayes | Royal Cape | |||
1952 | Sid Brews (8) | 305 | 1 stroke | Sandy Guthrie | Humewood | |||
1951 | Bobby Locke (8) | 277 | 9 strokes | Jimmy Boyd (a) Harry Bradshaw | Houghton | |||
1950 | Bobby Locke (7) | 280 | 11 strokes | Sandy Guthrie | Durban CC | |||
1949 | Sid Brews (7) | 291 | 3 strokes | Eric Moore | Maccauvlei | |||
1948 | Mickey Janks (a) | 298 | Playoff[lower-alpha 15] | Sandy Guthrie | East London | |||
1947 | Ronnie Glennie (a) | 293 | 1 stroke | Eric Moore | Mowbray | |||
1946 | Bobby Locke (6) | 285 | 14 strokes | Steve Boshoff (a) | Royal Johannesburg | |||
1941–1945 | No tournament due to World War II | |||||||
1940 | Bobby Locke (5) | 293 | 10 strokes | Steve Boshoff (a) | Port Elizabeth | |||
1939 | Bobby Locke (4) | 279 | 8 strokes | Maurice Bodmer (a) Clarence Olander (a) | Durban CC | |||
1938 | Bobby Locke (3) | 279 | 5 strokes | Sid Brews | Maccauvlei | |||
1937 | Bobby Locke (a) (2) | 288 | 11 strokes | Clarence Olander (a) | East London | |||
1936 | Clarence Olander (a) | 297 | Playoff[lower-alpha 16] | J Robertson | Royal Cape | |||
1935 | Bobby Locke (a) | 296 | 3 strokes | Jock Verwey (a) | Parkview | |||
1934 | Sid Brews (6) | 319 | 7 strokes | Jock Verwey (a) | Humewood | |||
1933 | Sid Brews (5) | 297 | 3 strokes | Charles McIlvenny | Maccauvlei | |||
1932 | Charles McIlvenny | 304 | 4 strokes | Bob Grimsdell | Mowbray | |||
1931 | Sid Brews (4) | 302 | 3 strokes | Bob Grimsdell Charles McIlvenny | Port Elizabeth | |||
1930 | Sid Brews (3) | 297 | 11 strokes | Jock Brews | East London | |||
1929 | Archie Tosh | 315 | 1 stroke | Jock Brews | Royal Cape | |||
1928 | Jock Brews (4) | 297 | 1 stroke | Sid Brews | Durban CC | |||
1927 | Sid Brews (2) | 301 | 5 strokes | Bert Elkin Charles McIlvenny | Maccauvlei | |||
1926 | Jock Brews (3) | 301 | 9 strokes | Bert Elkin | Port Elizabeth | |||
1925 | Sid Brews | 295 | 3 strokes | Jock Brews | Johannesburg | |||
1924 | Bert Elkin | 316 | 9 strokes | Jock Brews Sid Brews | Durban CC | |||
1923 | Jock Brews (2) | 315 | 1 stroke | Archie Tosh | Royal Cape | |||
1922 | Fred Jangle | 310 | 7 strokes | Jock Brews | Port Alfred | |||
1921 | Jock Brews | 316 | 3 strokes | Archie Tosh | Port Elizabeth | |||
1920 | Laurie Waters (4) | 302 | 2 strokes | Bert Elkin | Johannesburg | |||
1919 | William Horne | 320 | 9 strokes | Hugh Gordon Stewart (a) | Durban | |||
1915–1918 | No tournament due to World War I | |||||||
1914 | George Fotheringham (5) | 299 | 20 strokes | Jock Brews | Royal Cape | |||
1913 | Jimmy Prentice (a) | 304 | 2 strokes | Willie Binnie Jack Fotheringham | Kimberley | |||
1912 | George Fotheringham (4) | 305 | 10 strokes | Laurie Waters | Potchefstroom | |||
1911 | George Fotheringham (3) | 301 | 11 strokes | David Guthrie | Durban | |||
1910 | George Fotheringham (2) | 315 | 5 strokes | Arthur Gray | Royal Cape | |||
1909 | Jack Fotheringham | 306 | 2 strokes | George Fotheringham | Potchefstroom | |||
1908 | George Fotheringham | 294 | 9 strokes | Laurie Waters | Port Elizabeth | |||
1907 | Laurie Waters (3) | 147[lower-alpha 17][lower-alpha 18] | 5 strokes | Walter Day Jr | Kimberley | |||
1906 | Arthur Gray (2) | 151[lower-alpha 17] | 3 strokes | H. F. Watson (a) | East London | |||
1905 | Arthur Gray | [lower-alpha 17] | Playoff[lower-alpha 19] | George Fotheringham | Garrison Club | |||
1904 | Laurie Waters (2) | 143[lower-alpha 17] | 4 strokes | Arthur Gray | Johannesburg | |||
1903 | Laurie Waters | 163[lower-alpha 17] | 3 strokes | J. W. Stewart | Port Elizabeth |
- Due to seasonal scheduling, the South African Open has been held twice in some years and not at all in others.
- AFR – Sunshine Tour, previously known as the South(ern) Africa Tour/Vodacom Tour/FNB Tour/Sunshine Circuit; EUR – European Tour
- (a) – Amateur
- Storm won with a par on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff.
- Sullivan won with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
- Not an official record score because the 4th hole was unplayable during the 3rd and 4th rounds due to heavy rain. For scoring purposes, all players were deemed to have recorded a par for the hole.
- Ramsay won with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
- Sterne won with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
- Immelman won with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
- McNulty won on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.
- Player defeated Bland with a birdie on the third hole of sudden-death after both had tied with 2 under-par 70s after an 18-hole playoff; Humphreys returned a level-par 72 in the playoff.
- Hayes won following an 18-hole playoff; Hayes 69, Fourie 72.
- Henning won the 36-hole playoff with a score of 144 to Guthrie's 146.
- Boyd won the 36-hole playoff with a score of 162 to Hayes 163.
- Janks won the 36-hole playoff with a score of 147 to Guthrie's 153.
- Olander won the 36-hole playoff with a score of 146 to Robertson's 151.
- Tournament held over 36 holes prior to 1908.
- Some sources have Waters score as 146.
- Gray won the playoff by a stroke with a score of 151.
Multiple winners
Eighteen men have won this tournament more than once through 2018.
Wins | Player | Country | Years won |
---|---|---|---|
13 | Gary Player | South Africa | 1956, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981 |
9 | Bobby Locke | South Africa | 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1955 |
8 | Sid Brews | South Africa | 1925, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1949, 1952 |
5 | George Fotheringham | Scotland | 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1914 |
5 | Ernie Els | South Africa | 1992, 1996, 1998, 2006, 2010 |
4 | Laurie Waters | South Africa | 1903, 1904, 1907, 1920 |
4 | Jock Brews | South Africa | 1921, 1923, 1926, 1928 |
2 | Arthur Gray | England | 1905, 1906 |
2 | Harold Henning | South Africa | 1957, 1962 |
2 | Retief Waltman | South Africa | 1961, 1963 |
2 | Bobby Cole | South Africa | 1974, 1980 |
2 | Wayne Westner | South Africa | 1988, 1991 |
2 | Tony Johnstone | Zimbabwe | 1984, 1993 (Dec) |
2 | David Frost | South Africa | 1986, 1999 |
2 | Mark McNulty | Zimbabwe | 1987, 2001 |
2 | Trevor Immelman | South Africa | 2003, 2004 |
2 | Tim Clark | South Africa | 2002, 2005 (Jan) |
2 | Retief Goosen | South Africa | 1995, 2005 (Dec) |
References
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