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Frittelli discusses being back in the winner’s circle.

South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter has been writing his name in the history books on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Just a couple of weeks after the 19-year-old became the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history when he captured a two-stroke victory at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic, he shot the second sub-60 round in as many days at the Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard in Bogota, Colombia.

Potgieter birdied his last three holes for the 12th sub-60 score in the Tour’s history. The round came one day after Cristobal Del Solar’s record 57 at the Country Club de Bogota’s Pacos course.

The SA superstar got off to a scorching start in Colombia, turning in seven-under 28. He made five birdies and an eagle on his opening nine holes after starting on the back nine. After making the turn, he added birdies on Nos 1 and 2, moving to nine under through 11 holes at the par-70 layout, which plays to 6 254 yards at nearly 9 000 feet of elevation. He birdied the last three holes on the front nine for his 59.

After his first record-breaking feat at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic, Potgieter said:

“I was just trying to make the cut... improve on the status. I didn’t expect this today. I looked at the leaderboard a couple of times and was just trying to move up slowly and give myself some chances on the putting green. I felt really comfortable, gave myself those opportunities and holed some of them.”

He added: “I’m just happy to be playing here and to get this opportunity. To make history, that’s just another bonus on top of the win.”

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The first African Amateur Championship will be played at Leopard Creek, South Africa, from 21-24 February.

The championship will feature 72 men from the African region competing in a 72-hole strokeplay format, with the winner receiving an exemption at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon. An invitational event for 20 elite women from the region will also be held at the venue during that week.

The introduction of the African Amateur complements existing amateur championships jointly organised by The R&A in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, and will enable golfers from Africa to play at the highest level, as well as create a pathway for them to develop and become an inspiration to others.

The championship will also build on an Africa High Performance Programme established in 2022 by The R&A and delivered to players and coaches in African countries as part of a wider effort to develop golf and provide support to players aspiring to reach elite levels of the sport.

Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, said: “We are creating a world-class platform for the most talented amateur golfers in Africa to compete against each other and realise their ambitions in the sport.

“We would also like to acknowledge the tremendous support received from Mr Johann Rupert, who is a committed and passionate partner in this new championship. We will be working closely with the Africa Golf Confederation, GolfRSA, the Sunshine Tour and the national associations on the continent to make this a success.”

Johann Rupert said: “We are delighted to welcome the addition of the African Amateur Championship organised by The R&A, it is a truly positive sign for the future of golf here. And we are thrilled to be hosting the inaugural Championship at Leopard Creek.”

TYRONE WINFIELD/SUNSHINE TOUR/PERFECT EXPOSURE

South Africa’s leading golfers with a disability have been given a unique opportunity to compete in the Sunshine Tour’s 2024-25 season-opening tournament, the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq, alongside a quality field of champions from all quarters of South African golf.

Six golfers from the South African Disabled Golf Association (SADGA) have been selected to join one of the most diverse and inclusive fields in South African professional golf when the new tournament is played at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club’s East Championship Course over 72 holes from 2-5 May with a first prize of R1-million and with live coverage on SuperSport.

The SADGA golfers who will compete within the main tournament over 36 holes of medal play are David Watts, Daniel Slabbert, Iglin Grobbelaar, Robin Singh, Charles Williams and Kelvin van Baalen.

SADGA non-executive director, Pieter Verwey, praised the initiative of the Sunshine Tour and the tournament sponsors: “The vision of the Sunshine Tour to include golf for the disabled at a major event is incredibly innovative and will certainly help raise the profile of golf for the disabled in South Africa.”

The field will already include the winner of the 2023-24 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by the Courier Guy; the 2023-24 Fortress Rookie of the Year; the leading Papwa Sewgolum Class player from the 2023-24 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by the Courier Guy not otherwise exempt; South African winners of international tournaments held outside South Africa from 1 January 2023 until 2 May; the winner of the 2024 Sunshine Ladies Tour Order of Merit; Sunshine Ladies Tour winners from 2024; the winner of the 2023 Altron Big Easy Tour Order of Merit and of the 2024 African Amateur; the leading amateur from the GolfRSA Order of Merit as nominated by GolfRSA, and five wild card entries.

SUNSHINE TOUR

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Jordan Burnand fired a final-round three-under-par 67 around Mount Edgecombe’s The Woods course to claim the biggest title of his career, the South African Stroke Play Championship, by a single shot. The 23-year almost didn’t make it to the 1st tee, though, after being ill during the week leading up to the GolfRSA flagship event.

“I played at the Gauteng North Open at Copperleaf last week and struggled through the final 36 holes,” said Burnand. “The doctor confirmed I had pneumonia and bronchitis; I spent two days on a drip, and the rest of the week recovering.”

He was determined to play at the opening tournament of the GolfRSA South African Swing – the three biggest tournaments in local amateur men’s golf. His form leading into the event – a run of eight straight top-10s before the Gauteng North Open – marked the GolfRSA National Squad member as one of the favourites.

A four-under-par opening round got the GolfRSA No 2-ranked player into a share of the first-round lead. Reality kicked in during the second round, however, as Burnand’s six-over-par 76 in strong winds saw him slip back into a share of 22nd and six shots off the pace at the halfway stage of the tournament.

A third-round 69 still left him with plenty to do and he started the final five shots back of co-leaders Dylan Kayne and Ivan Verster. A birdie on the short par-four 17th saw him edge closer to his target, but a par on the last left him thinking he had let the tournament slip away.

Lars van der Vight, Aston Wade Arthur and JP van der Watt emerged as the leaders of the chasing pack, but none of them were able to find a closing birdie to match Burnand’s clubhouse target and the trio finished a stroke back, at one under par.

“It’s a huge honour to have my name on the trophy,” said Burnand. To have the SA Stroke Play title behind my name means a lot, it’s a great feeling to achieve it at last.”

ERIK S LESSER/EPA/BACKPAGEPIX/PGA TOUR

Various parties work together to change the lives of youngsters through the game of golf.

When 13-year-old Codi Ruiters fell off building machinery and broke his ankle in the Heideveld squatter camp in the heart of the Cape Flats ganglands, it was the day his life changed forever.

The machinery belonged to Nedsteel, a company owned by Charles Fourie who came from the same neighbourhood, and he crossed paths with a young boy who was described as a lost cause. The game of golf changed that.

As Ruiters hit shots on the Royal Cape Golf Club driving range as part of the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open golf development clinic with Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour professionals and a group of South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) golfers, Fourie recalled the journey he has been on with Ruiters.

“When Codi injured himself, I took him under my wing and arranged for him to be treated. I grew up in that area and was lucky to get out of there a long time ago,” he says.

The prevalence of poverty, drugs and violence is still overwhelming, and the SAGDB’s golf programme is a vital escape. Peter Little, an SAGDB co-ordinator in the Western Province, has seen how golf can change a boy like Ruiters’ reality.

“We have kids who come from the ganglands and some rough environments. Many of them didn’t know anything about golf and in a year they get down to single-figure handicaps. The schools have also congratulated the SAGDB on how the players’ marks have improved.”

Ruiters has come down to a six-handicap and is a member of the SAGDB National Squad. “I’ve been playing golf for three years. I love the game because it can take you far in life. I’d like to be a professional like my hero on the Sunshine Tour, Robin Williams.”

Fourie knows how sport, and specifically golf, can create opportunities. “These kids grow up in an aggressive lifestyle. But since we’ve been working with Codi we've seen the change in him and it’s helped his family. You can’t help everybody, but you can change one boy’s life.”

Rory McIlroy will return to the Genesis Scottish Open from 11-14 July to defend his title.

The four-time Major winner produced a brilliant birdie-birdie finish on a thrilling final day at Renaissance Club last season to edge out home favourite Robert MacIntyre by one stroke. McIlroy topped a stellar field, which included eight of the top 10 players in the world, to win the Genesis Scottish Open for the first time in his storied career.

The win in East Lothian last July also saw him notch up another bit of history, as he became the first player to triumph at the national opens of Scotland and Ireland, as well as The Open. He went on to top the season-long Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex for the fifth time and second consecutive season.

On his return to the tournament, McIlroy said: “It was special to win the Genesis Scottish Open for the first time last season. Winning a national open is always notable, and to do it in the home of golf, with such great support from the Scottish fans, made it a memorable week.”

Twelve months after her resounding 11 & 10 victory at the SA Women’s Amateur Championship, Kyra van Kan achieved the double with a wire-to-wire six-shot triumph at the SA Women’s Stroke Play Championship at Modderfontein Golf Club.

The win was just as emphatic as her matchplay triumph in 2023, as she closed with a two-under-par 70 to hold off South Africa’s top-ranked Kesha Louw.

“It’s honestly awesome,” said 19-year-old Van Kan, who will be taking up a golf scholarship at the University of Tennesse in April. “I’ve dreamed of this since I was a little girl, since I started playing golf. I set myself this goal at the start of the week and it’s an incredible feeling to stand here with the trophy, knowing I got it done.”

Van Kan followed an opening 71 with a five-under 67 to start the final round with a slender one-shot lead.

“I’m pretty pleased with the way I played and held myself together, even though it’s such a big event with all the nerves I was feeling,” said the champion.

Behind Van Kan, Louw’s opening 76 – compared to Van Kan’s 71 – set her back in her quest for the title, but her fine finish secured her the runner-up spot.

In third, 10 strokes behind the champion and four strokes behind Louw, was Cara Ford, with reigning English Girls and Nomads SA Girls champion Gia Raad a further shot back in fourth. Isabella Ferreira and Lisa Coetzer shared fifth.

In the Silver Division battle, it was 16-year-old Maru Chokwe who came up trumps at her debut at the GolfRSA flagship event.

The Royal Johannesburg junior, who claimed a seven-shot victory with rounds 83, 81 and 81, credited her coach Gavan Levenson with the win.

“We worked on my game, but he also prepared me well to keep calm and stay in the moment, knowing it was the first time I’d be playing at such a prestigious tournament. That really helped me, especially on the tough holes where water comes into play,” said Chokwe.

The top 32 on the final leaderboard advance to the Championship Division, while the next 32 players advance to the Flight Division.

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The Legends Tour has unveiled plans for a record-breaking 2024 season, headlined by its busiest schedule to date – including nine new events – and an eye-watering €18-million prize pool.

Running from April to December, this year’s globetrotting schedule will feature 20 events – featuring new tournaments set to debut in Barbados, Kenya, Mexico, Spain, the UK and Zambia, with even more additions still to be announced.

Many of the Legends Tour’s brightest stars will be eyeing up Major victory in 2024 at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores Golf Club, the US Senior Open at Newport Country Club and The Senior Open presented by Rolex at Carnoustie Golf Links.

The season will culminate with the MCB Tour Championship Mauritius at Constance Belle Mare Plage, where qualifying players will contest for the John Jacobs Trophy.

As well as the tournament silverware, some of golf’s biggest names will also be competing for the largest prize pool in Legends Tour history. The €18-million (more than €8.6million of which will be assigned outside the Majors of senior men’s golf) represents a 100% increase since the Tour returned to a full schedule in 2022 after the covid pandemic, with $2-million to play for at the final two events on the Road to Mauritius and a bonus pool of $100 000 for the top five players in the final standings.

The announcement suggests the global growth of the Legends Tour – which hit new heights in 2023 – is set to continue. Phil Harrison, CEO of the Legends Tour, said: “We have been working hard behind the scenes, and 2024 promises to be another incredible year for the Legends Tour. We cannot wait to see it all unfold.”

LEGENDS TOUR