Pepler credits Altron Big Easy Tour for Joburg Open experience

Winner of the Altron Big Easy Tour Order of Merit and newest member of the Sunshine Tour roster, Gerhard Pepler, has credited the circuit for opening doors for him which culminated in his first start on the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned Joburg Open.

Pepler received an invite to this mega event following his exploits on the Sunshine Tour’s development tour, the Altron Big Easy Tour where he claimed three wins on his way to the top of the order of merit standings in the campaign that just ended.

“I’ve always believed that if you play well on the Big Easy Tour, then good things will come,” said Pepler. “You can get some valuable experiences on the Sunshine tour and playing an event like this is a big deal. So, I would encourage players to give it their best on the Big Easy because there can be some nice rewards if you do.”

Pepler shot one-over-par after 36 holes to miss the cut by one shot and miss out on the weekend action but the 22-year-old player from Serengeti Golf Estate had more positives to take out of his maiden Sunshine Tour big event. As disappointed as he is what that aspect, Pepler is happy to have made the field this week.

“The golf could have been much better this week,” said Pepler from Houghton Golf Club where the second round is currently underway. “It was tough; the experience at this level is not fully there yet and it showed in glimpses this week. Overall, however, it was a good experience.

“We wanted to do well this week but the fact of the matter is that this was a learning curve. I learned a lot about many things, so in that respect, the week was good for me. I think these events will prepare me for the Sunshine Tour.”

Armed with his Sunshine Tour card for the next season, Pepler will have a lot to look forward to next year and the lessons he would have picked up this week will surely come in handy when the time comes.

The Joburg Open was launched in 2007 as a Sunshine Tour event and has since become a permanent fixture on the schedule. Since 2017, the event has been co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour and has been the start of the Qualifying Series for The Open Championship.

Showcasing the heart of Johannesburg, a World Class African City, the Joburg Open has become a favourite among both players and fans. The event has been won by both local and international golfers, including Branden Grace, Anders Hansen, Charl Schwartzel, Joachim B. Hansen, and George Coetzee.

This year’s defending champion is South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence.