Big Easy Tour Feed

Pedro claims playoff win for maiden Big Easy title

Khathu’s Lyle Pedro became the third member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class to win a professional title this year following his playoff win over Daniel Cronje in the first Betway Big Easy Blue Label Invitational at Ruimsig Country Club on Wednesday. Dylan Naidoo paved the way with an historical victory in the Investec South African Open Championship at Durban Country Club in March. Then, it was Slender Sithebe, who won the Vusi Ngubeni Tournament at Soweto Country Club just last month. And now, Pedro has added his name to this list. Co-hosted with the Blue Label Bushveld Tour, the Betway Big Easy Blue Label Invitational that was played at Ruimsig was the first of five events to be co-hosted by the two Tours. At seven-under par after 36 holes, Pedro brought a one-stroke lead into the final round and didn’t waste too much time before getting down to business. He was five shots clear after 15 holes while Cronje was also making strides of his own. Pedro’s four birdies in the final round were accompanied by two dropped shots, which saw the Sishen Golf Club member finish his round two-under and nine-under for the week in what looked like a clear in in regulation. But Cronje had other ideas. Thanks to a superb run of five birdies back-to-back on the homeward stretch, Cronje finished tied with Pedro at nine-under and thereby necessitating a sudden-death playoff to determine the winner. A trip back up the par-five 18th hole saw Cronje push his driver to the rough on right side of the adjacent 13th fairway, making his second shot difficult. All the while, Pedro had found the fairway on 18 but his second shot right of the green, demanding a spectacular up-and-down for birdie. He missed that and made par, but with Cronje destined to make a bogey there, the tie was decided and Pedro was the vioctor. “After Dylan won the SA Open, it just proved to us all that players of colour can win on any Tour,” said Pedro after his win. “I’m just very happy that I am among the winners.” Pedro noted that despite his composed posture all round long on Wednesday, he almost lost it when after dropping a shot on 16 and 17. “It was definitely tough out there,” he said. “Especially on hole 17 when I saw that Daniel was eight-under. But I knew I had to keep calm and just try to a birdie but unfortunately, I missed the putt there and I missed the birdie-putt on the last. But, I’m very happy for the victory. Pedro, a South African Golf Development Board graduate, is in his third season as a professional and while he hadn’t won on Tour before, he had had some opportunities to challenge but was never successful. He was not going to be denied this time. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit and enjoys the support of the legendary Ernie Els among other patrons.

Pedro soars to the top with 18 holes to play at Ruimsig

Sishen Golf Club’s Lyle Pedro backed up his opening 69 with a four-under 68 second-round to get to seven-under and take a one-shot lead in the Blue Label Invitational co-hosted by the Betway Big Easy Tour and the Bushveld Tour at Ruimsig Country Club. The member of the Sunshine Tour’s Papwa Sewgolum Class cut a calm figure throughout a round in which he made only one bogey. Four straight pars at the start suggested a measured approach by Pedro, and he was soon rewarded with a birdie on the fifth. His joy didn’t last long, however, as he dropped a shot on the next hole. A swift birdie on seven was his immediate response before he followed up with another on the ninth. Pedro’s birdie blitz continued as he made further gains on the 10th. Following another run of straight pars from 11 through 13, Pedro collected another birdie on 14 before closing off the same way he’d started his round, with a run of four pars for a round of 68. “Today, my iron play was brilliant and I was able to convert some of the opportunities I created for myself,” said Pedro of his round. “At the start of the week, I told myself that I need to shoot at least 12-under this week and see where that lands me. The golf feels good, so I don’t have any reason to doubt myself, and today, I felt good out there. “This course is tougher than it looks, and it needs a lot of patience. I managed to stay in the moment today, and I managed to convert some chances. It feels like I could have gone lower, but I am not complaining about it; it’s part of golf. “I just have to do the same things tomorrow; find fairways and greens and try to capitalise. There’s a lot of golf to be played, still, so I won’t get ahead of myself because the guys are good and it’s still wide open.” Taking up the second spot on the leaderboard on a tournament total of six-under and just a shot off the pace is England’s Harry Konig. His second round of 70 was enough to leave him within touching distance of Pedro’s lead. Following his first round 74, Kyle Kistensamy produced the lowest score of the round, a resounding 66 to get into a share of third with Daniel Cronje on four-under-par 140. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit and enjoys the support of the legendary Ernie Els among other patrons.

Ross charges to early lead at Ruimsig

The first of five Blue Label Invitational tournaments co-hosted with the Bushveld Tour got underway at Ruimsig Country Club on Monday, with Liam Ross racing to a one-stroke lead after an opening round of 67. The five-event series is the first concrete collaboration between the two Tours and aims to provide more playing opportunities for members from both circuits. The leading 44 players on the Bushveld Tour’s Order of Merit, alongside a strong Betway Big Easy Tour contingent, are vying for the honours in this 54-hole second tournament of the season. After England’s Harry Konig set the clubhouse lead at 4-under-par, it was left up to the afternoon field to catch up and even best that score. Oubaai Golf Club’s Ross was only happy to abide. A birdie and an eagle on his front nine were accompanied by three untainted birdies on the homeward stretch, giving Ross a slender but satisfying lead heading into the second round. “Me and Sam (caddie) had a good game plan coming here,” said Ross after his round. “I’ve actually ever played this course just once, so we thought, fairways, greens, and try to give ourselves opportunities for birdies. Thankfully, the ball came out nicely today, and I really gave myself a lot of birdie looks. “As golf goes, however, I feel like I left a few out there, but I think that’s a normal round for anyone who plays the game. Nevertheless, I made some good putts out there and I really enjoyed it.” Despite his solid showing on day one, Ross knows there is little to get excited about after the opening round, especially given the quality of the players who make up the chasing pack. “You know, you never win a tournament on the first day, but you can definitely lose it,” Ross noted. “So, for me, just to be in contention after day one is something to be grateful for. The key is just to enjoy the process because the competition is really tough out here. I just have to take it as it comes and make the most of it.” Just as Ross did, Konig also felt that he could have picked up a few more birdies en route to his opening 68. He ties the second spot on the leaderboard with Zwartkop Country Club’s Matthew Bennett. LB Boshoff, Sean Howell, Tristan Leonard and member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, Lyle Pedro, share fourth after opening rounds of 69. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit and enjoys the support of the legendary Ernie Els among other patrons.  

Van Den Berg snaps 10-year winless run with Dainfern win

Ulrich Van Den Berg is a champion again! The 50-year-old Bryanston Country Club professional returned to the winner’s circle in some spectacular, if not dramatic, fashion after claiming a play-off victory over the young Jaden Deltel in the season-opening event at Dainfern Golf Estate on Thursday. Following an exhilarating finish of 11-under-par 205 by both players, a sudden-death decider was necessary to determine the victor in what turned out to be a veteran versus youth encounter. The end was a four-hole sudden-death spectacle from which Van Den Berg emerged triumphant. “I feel sorry for Jaden,” said the ever-so-professional Van Den Berg, sympathising with the young prodigy, Deltel, who is his club member at Bryanston. “To be honest, I should have won it in regulation. I three-putted 17 and 18 (in regulation), disappointingly. Then obviously, we both made two birdies in a row, and then we made scrappy pars. But then again, I three-putted on 18th where I won, but then again, Jaden didn’t get his second shot correct. “So, I feel sad for him because he is an up-and-coming young player; he’s out of Bryanston and if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he going to win a lot.” Despite his gentlemanly gesture towards Deltel, Van den Berg was always determined to claim this title. His last win was about 10 years ago, and despite not playing professionally for a while between then and now, Van den Berg always had the desire to win more professional titles. “To win is the same thing, you know,” he said, “it doesn’t matter which Tour you play on. The last time I was able to get over the line was at Q-School in Europe in 2015. So, it’s been a long time.” Despite having to wait for a decade for his 8th title sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour, or this very feeder Tour, the Betway Big Easy Tour, Van Den Berg has been challenging for that top spot in recent times. Last season, he had a few top 10 finishes on this circuit, highlighted by his two second-place finishes in the Play-Off and his defeat to Warwick Purchase at Glenvista. He was not going to lose this one. Tough and demanding as it was, by his own admission, Van den Berg was ready to ascend to the top once more. “I like to think that I’ve kept myself fit,” he said of his prolonged career and desire to compete at a high level. “I value that. I do try to watch what I eat, and maybe that has helped over my career. And then, I’m a very competitive person; I always try to do my best. I don’t like coming to a tournament under-prepared. “If I do something, I want to do it well. Even when I’m hitting balls, I try to do my best. So, when I come out, I always feel like I’ve got a chance to do well. That’s been the motivation throughout my career: to always try to get better even though I’ve gotten older. I’m not sure if that’s happening, but in my mind, I’m still trying.” Having already secured his Sunshine Tour status for this season, Van Den Berg revealed intentions of continuing to compete on the Betway Big Easy Tour, the Sunshine Tour as well as the Sunshine Senior Tour later in the year. This win will not only give Van Den Berg further motivation to succeed on the professional stage but also an affirmation that he has plenty more to give and, perhaps, plenty more to achieve. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit and enjoys the support of the legendary Ernie Els among other patrons.  

Van Den Berg in the hunt at Dainfern

Ulrich Van Den Berg took full advantage of the excellent course conditions at Dainfern Golf Club and shot a second-round 66, bringing his total to 10-under and two shots clear of the field ahead of Thursday’s final round. “I’ve played some steady golf,” said the veteran campaigner of his first 36 holes here. “I’ve driven the ball well, and when you drive the ball well around here, you’re going to give yourself chances. “But, it’s kudos to the ground staff here. These are some of the best greens I’ve ever played. They resemble what the guys are playing this week on the Sunshine Tour in Zimbabwe; I’ve always said those are the best greens all year. So, big-up to Dainfern for showing up with a world-class golf course this week.” Starting his second round from the 10th, Van den Berg made five straight pars in what seemed a measured approach. Then, a hat-trick of birdies followed as the 50-year-old Van Den Berg turned in 33 and bogey-free. After the turn, Van Den Berg gave away a shot on the first, his 10th, but recovered swiftly on the next hole, making a birdie there to keep the foot on the gas. Three uninterrupted pars preceded another hat-trick of birdies, this time on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes of the golf course. He closed off with a par on nine, sealing a round of six-under 66 to lead. England’s Joe Sullivan, Drikus Joubert and member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, Musiwalo Nethunzwi are in a three-man tie for second at eight-under. Despite making a bogey and double bogey in the round, Sullivan was able to weave together a round of 67. Joubert backed up his opening 68 with another on day two, while Nethunzwi’s 70 was enough to get him in that share of second. Andrew Williamson and Brandon Gildenhuys share fifth at seven under while the recently-turned-pro Oliver Goldhill shares seventh with Ryan Tipping, overnight leader Richard Joubert and former Sunshine Tour winner Haydn Porteous at six under-par. The final round of this 54-hole event promises to be a spectacle as there will be no less than 10 players with a real chance of challenging for glory in this first tournament of this new campaign. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit and enjoys the support of the legendary Ernie Els among other patrons.

Strong start gives Joubert slender lead at Dainfern

Richard Joubert shrugged off a bogey on the first hole and carded an opening round of 65 to take a slim lead in the first event of the season at Dainfern Golf Estate on Tuesday. “I hit two good shots on one; just got a little bit unlucky with my second shot,” said Joubert of his start on day one. “It was just a bad bunker shot, and I made a drop. I knew the swing was good; I’ve been working so hard. To be honest, I feel like I shouldn’t even be standing here. I played so well at Q-School, and to miss my card by 1 was very bad. “But, we got the mindset back on track, and I think the golf is really looking good and putting very well too. Today, I made a few nice ones. The greens are rolling great and hopefully, we can keep it up tomorrow and it’s going to be a lekker week ahead.” Following that bogey on the first, Joubert made birdie on two, four, seven and nine to turn in 33. Then, two more birdies – on 12 and 13 – made their way onto his card and then two more on 17 and 18 to seal a round of 65. “The course is quite tight off the tee, I think,” added Joubert. “There are a lot of houses everywhere, so it’s not like it’s wide open. But, it is gettable and you can hit some irons off the tee if you’re not comfortable with the driver. I hit the driver very well today.” A shot adrift lies Musiwalo Nethunzwi, whose 66 consisted of five birdies, an eagle and a solitary drop. “I’m happy with my start,” said Nethunzwi. “First tournament of the season; 6-under, I can’t complain. I started with a bogey, but I thought it’s the first hole of the first tournament of the season, so I didn’t put any pressure on myself after that drop. “You can’t give up. You need to trust your process and the work you’ve done during the off-season. So, I’m happy with y score today and I’m looking forward to the next two days.” Daniel Cronje, Haydn Porteous and Reece McKain carded respective rounds of 67 to share the third spot on the leaderboard. Veterans Ulrich Van Den Berg and Ryan Tipping carded rounds of 68 to share the sixth spot with American Austin Cherichella, Drikus Joubert and Travis Ladner.  

Betway Big Easy Tour season starts as exciting 2025/26 schedule is announced

The Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit, the Betway Big Easy Tour, has announced an exciting schedule for the upcoming 2025/26 season, which begins at Dainfern Golf Estate from 6 to 8 May. Riding the momentum of last season’s successful campaign, the Tour has announced 10 regular-event tournaments plus two season-ending events: The Play-Off and The Final. Added to that, the new campaign will feature an additional five special events to be co-hosted with the Bushveld Tour and named the Betway Big Easy Tour Blue Label Invitationals. “The Betway Big Easy Tour has grown so much over the last three seasons, and we are very excited to get the new season going,” said Ludwick Manyama, General Manager of the Betway Big Easy Tour. “The relationship we have shared with the Bushveld Tour in the last couple of years, since that Tour’s inception, has culminated in the additional five tournaments we will co-host in the new season. This partnership will provide our members further playing opportunities and help improve competition among the players.” Following the season-opener at Dainfern Golf Estate, the first of the five Blue Label Invitationals will tee off at Ruimsig Country Club from the 12th to the 14th of May. The second Betway Big Easy Tour event – the third tournament overall – will go to Glenvista Country Club from 20th to 22nd May. The next stop will be the scene of last season’s playoff event, Killarney Country Club, where the second Blue Label Invitational event will be held from 2nd to 4th June, and then the Wanderers Golf Club will host the third Betway Big Easy Tour event from the 10th to the 12th of June. To close off the first two months of the new campaign, the next event will be held at Benoni Country Club from 17 to 19 June. The third of the five events to be co-hosted with the Bushveld Tour will be held at Waterkloof Golf Club from 28 to 30 July, while CMR Golf Club will host the fifth event of the Betway Big Easy Tour from 5 to 7 August. Five days later, Reading Country Club will host the sixth event of the season while Soweto Country Club will be the venue for the seventh event, scheduled for 16 to 18 September. Then, the fourth Blue Label Invitational will go to Reading from 29 September to the first of October. The host for the eighth event of the Betway Big Easy Tour is yet to be confirmed. The final Blue Label Invitational event will be held at Silver Lakes Golf Club, and the ninth event of the Big Easy will be at Krugersdorp Golf Club from 11 to 13 November. The dates and venues for The Play Off and The Final will be announced as the season progresses. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the Sunshine Tour’s feeder circuit, which enjoys the support of Ernie Els and boasts international star Christiaan Bezuidenhout as one of its former Order of Merit winners.

The Sunshine Development Tour launches in Kenya

The Sunshine Tour, one of the top golf tours of the world, has expanded its footprint into Kenya and East Africa, introducing the Sunshine Development Tour. The South Africa-based Sunshine Tour has signed a three-year exclusive contract with leading sports marketing agency IMG Kenya Limited to launch and operationalize this brand new mixed, professional development golf tour in Kenya and East Africa. The Sunshine Development Tour – East African Swing, will offer professional golfers and elite amateurs, both men and women, a chance to play regular competitive golf tournaments organized in line with Sunshine Tour standards. Commenting on the Tour, IMG Kenya CEO, Peter Gacheru said the Tour is set to revolutionize professional and elite amateur golf in the region. “We are very pleased to be partnering with The Sunshine Tour of South Africa to bring The Sunshine Development Tour – East African Swing to the region. It is our conviction that this Tour will offer golfers the much-needed platform to play consistent and competitive golf to an ever-increasing standard, whilst providing them with a steady revenue stream. “Our objective is to enhance the quality of professional golf in Kenya and the region, provide elite amateurs and juniors with a development pad, and elevate our profile as a golfing community on the global stage. “We believe that, through this tour, our local and regional golf landscape will be transformed to produce globally acclaimed golf champions whilst providing a development pipeline for future talent,” he said. “We look forward to joining hands with other like-minded partners to grow this event to make it bigger, more sustainable, and more impactful for the present and future of golf in the region,” he added. This Tour will include 10 to 15 events annually and will deliver Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, which are crucial for player advancement, providing local professional golfers with a genuine merit-based “pathway” into global golf. OWGR points are also crucial for qualification to the Olympic Games. Commenting on the deal, Sunshine Tour Commissioner, Thomas Abt, said: “The launch of the Sunshine Development Tour is a significant moment for golf in Africa as we are able to create unrivalled opportunities for professional golfers and the top amateurs in East Africa. We now have an effective vehicle to unearth the talent on the continent and bring new stars to the game. “The Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour have effective global pathways in place that are perfectly suited to the development of talent in Africa. “We look forward to launching the Sunshine Development Tour in what is a milestone moment for the game in Africa, and one in which we can play an important role in the growth of golf here.” Ahead of the tour, IMG Kenya and the Sunshine Tour have organized a qualifying event (Q-School) from the 30th of March to 2nd of April 2025 at the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club. The qualifying school will be a four-day tournament with a prize money of Sh1 million. “Ordinarily Q-Schools don’t offer Prize money, but we made a decision at IMG Kenya to kick start the Tour with an incentive for the professional golfers,” Gacheru added. The ‘Q-School’ is a mandatory pre-requisite for earning OWGR points on the East Africa Swing, and all players hoping to join the tour may register online at easwing.epass.co.ke. Players completing the four-round qualifier event will be awarded tour cards for the 2025/26 season and the top 10 qualifiers will earn invitations to the Sunshine Tour Final Stage Qualifier in Johannesburg, 8 – 11 April 2025.  

New dawn for Purchase and Co.

Warwick Purchase’s victory in the final of the Betway Big Easy Tour at Copperleaf last Friday not only handed him his second win of the season but also the honour of being the Order of Merit winner. His one-stroke victory over Graham van der Merwe proved enough to hand him the title of the Order of Merit, and thus, seeing him lead a new 12-man cohort into the Sunshine Tour for the 2025/26 season. The other players who earned their way into greatness are England’s Joe Knox, Paul Boshoff, Xander Basson, veteran Ulrich van den Berg, Slade Pickering, Luke Mayo, Ryan Van Der Klis, Eric Wowor, Musiwalo Nethunzwi, Leon Vorster and Marcel Steyn Scholtz. Toto Thimba Jnr, Allister de Kock, Thanda Mavundla, Jacquin Hess, Kyle Wykes and Jastice Mashego are the top six transformation players who have secured their Sunshine Tour playing rights. Now, having secured their rights to compete among the elite golfers on the continent, Purchase and company are yet another solid proof of how integral this circuit is as a pathway to the Sunshine Tour and beyond. They will draw inspiration from previous graduates who have gone on to make names for themselves on the grandest golfing stages around the world. Such players include Christiaan Bezuidenhout, the former Investec South African Open champion. For Purchase, however, his win in the final also earned him a spot in the season-opening Waterfall City Tournament of Champions supported by Attacq and the Waterfall City Management Company, where every champion in South African golf will be vying for the glory of being crowned the Champion of Champions. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the primary pathway into the Sunshine Tour and enjoys the support of Ernie Els, among other patrons.

Knox in four-way share of Big Easy lead ahead final round at Copperleaf

England’s Joe Knox played himself to a four-way share of the lead ahead of the final round of the Betway Big Easy Tour final after he carded an eventful second-round 67 at The Els Club, Copperleaf, on Thursday. Knox is on a tournament total of seven-under par alongside Warwick Purchase, Graham van der Merwe and overnight leader, Ulrich van den Berg, ahead of the final round at The Els Club, Copperleaf. A winner already on this circuit this season – he claimed his victory in The Play-Off which was held at Killarney Country Club, the event which preceded this week’s final – Knox is not only targeting a win here this week, but has his sights set on the very top spot on the Order of Merit. “I’m gonna try,” Knox said, candidly, of his desire to claim back-to-back wins. Like many in this field, however, Knox’s target is that coveted first spot on the Order of Merit; the honour of leading the top players into greatness. “Me and Warwick (Purchase) played together today; we both played nicely. We’re good friends, so hopefully, we can kind of feed off each other tomorrow if we play together. And yeah, I think that number one spot on the Order of Merit is up for grabs. “I think there’s a good number of guys who’ve already secured their (Sunshine Tour) cards, so they can kind of play with a bit of freedom. And the guys in the bubble might feel like they have to push. But the course is, kind of, in front of you, so you don’t always have to take aggressive lines or anything like that.” Purchase, Graham van der Merwe – both winners this season – and, indeed, Ulrich van den Berg are no strangers to the winner’s circle. Both Purchase and Van der Merwe are first-time winners on the Betway Big Easy Tour this season while Van den Berg boasts an impressive eight victories on the Sunshine Tour alone. While Knox’s round featured six birdies, an eagle and three dropped shots, Warwick’s was characterised by seven birdies and two bogeys. It was a strong showing from the Benoni Country Club member; an opportunity for him to also win his second title of the campaign. “I played a little bit better today,” said Purchase after his round. “I made a couple of putts.  I drove the ball okay; I hit myself into some precarious positions, but overall, it was a good day. “It’s a long golf course, so you’ve got to hit it onto some good positions. There are times to be aggressive on this golf course, but this week’s I’m just going to try to carry on with what I’ve done the whole season because it seems to have worked.” Van der Merwe shot a near-perfect 68 while Van den Berg laboured to a 70 to take a share of the lead. Zimbabwe’s David Amm and Drikus Joubert tie the fifth spot at three-under-par and four shots off the pace while Phillip Geerts, Slade Pickering, Matthew Rushton, Ryan Van Der Klis, and Leon Visser share seventh on the leaderboard. Only the top 30 players on the Order of Merit are eligible for the Final. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the feeder circuit of the Sunshine Tour and enjoys the support of legendary South African golfer, Ernie Els, amongst many other patrons.

Blemish-free 67 hands Van den Berg early lead in Big Easy final

Ulrich van den Berg’s experience came to the fore on Wednesday, as he charged to an untainted five-under-par 67 in the opening round of the Big Easy Tour final event at The Els Club, Copperleaf, in Centurion. With the stakes as high as they are this week – where the top 12 players on the Order of Merit will receive their Sunshine Tour playing privileges after this event – it was the veteran Van den Berg who rose to the top, cementing a two-stroke lead over Graham van der Merwe. Lying eighth on the Order of Merit list following a stellar season on this Sunshine Tour feeder circuit, Van den Berg came into this 54-hole tournament as one of the most experienced and in-form players. He opened his round with a birdie on the par-fourth first and followed that up with nine straight pars as he sought to avoid the big numbers. Now settled and in control, Van den Berg found another birdie on 12, and two more on 14 and 15. He sealed his round with another birdie on 18 for a score of 67. “The course is very soft, so it’s playing to its full length,” said Van den Berg who has eight Sunshine Tour victories to his name. “It was a grind out there. I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of good iron shots and I was able to have a nice little run around the back nine, which helped my scorecard.” Van den Berg is fully aware of what’s at stake this week and his position on the points list is suggestive of a man who has had a solid plan all season long. “For me, personally, this event is about trying to get my Sunshine Tour card back for next year,” said Van den Berg. “All my exemptions that I’ve had from all my years on the Tour have now come an end, hence I’ve been playing the Betway Big Easy Tour this year; to try and secure that. “And, obviously, everybody else is trying to do the same thing. We are playing to try to secure a spot to play for our livelihoods. That comes with different pressures.” Second on the leaderboard is Graham van der Merwe who won the Krugersdorp tournament and who lies one spot behind Van den Berg on the Order of Merit. His solid round of 69 was characterised by four birdies and a solitary drop. Drikus Joubert and Zimbabwe’s David Amm share the third spot on the leaderboard with four players who have each won a tournament this season – Warwick Purchase, Luke Mayo, Marcel Scholts-Steyn and last tournament’s winner, England’s Joe Knox. Only the top 30 players on the Order of Merit are eligible for the Final. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the feeder circuit of the Sunshine Tour and enjoys the support of legendary South African golfer, Ernie Els, amongst many other patrons.

Blemish-free 67 hands Van den Berg early lead in Big Easy final

Ulrich van den Berg’s experience came to the fore on Wednesday, as he charged to an untainted five-under-par 67 in the opening round of the Big Easy Tour final event at The Els Club, Copperleaf, in Centurion. With the stakes as high as they are this week – where the top 12 players on the Order of Merit will receive their Sunshine Tour playing privileges at the conclusion of this event – it was the veteran Van den Berg who rose to the top, cementing a two-stroke lead over Graham van der Merwe. Lying eighth on the Order of Merit list following a stellar season on this Sunshine Tour feeder circuit, Van den Berg came into this 54-hole tournament as one of the most experienced and in-form players. He opened his round with a birdie on the par-fourth first and followed that up with nine straight pars as he sought to avoid the big numbers. Now settled and in control, Van den Berg found another birdie on 12, and two more on 14 and 15. He sealed his round with another birdie on 18 for a score of 67. “The course is very soft, so it’s playing to its full length,” said Van den Berg who has eight Sunshine Tour victories to his name. “It was a grind out there. I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of good iron shots and I was able to have a nice little run around the back nine, which helped my scorecard.” Van den Berg is fully aware of what’s at stake this week and his position on the points list is suggestive of a man who has had a solid plan all season long. “For me, personally, this event is about trying to get my Sunshine Tour card back for next year,” said Van den Berg. “All my exemptions that I’ve had from all my years on the Tour have now come an end, hence I’ve been playing the Betway Big Easy Tour this year; to try and secure that. “And, obviously, everybody else is trying to do the same thing. We are playing to try to secure a spot to play for our livelihoods. That comes with different pressures.” Second on the leaderboard is Graham van der Merwe who won the Krugersdorp tournament and who lies one spot behind Van den Berg on the Order of Merit. His solid round of 69 was characterised by four birdies and a solidary drop. Drikus Joubert and Zimbabwe’s David Amm share the third spot on the leaderboard with four players who have each won a tournament this season – Warwick Purchase, Luke Mayo, Marcel Scholts-Steyn and last tournament’s winner, England’s Joe Knox. Only the top 30 players on the Order of Merit are eligible for the Final. The Betway Big Easy Tour is the feeder circuit of the Sunshine Tour and enjoys the support of legendary South African golfer, Ernie Els, amongst many other patrons.

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