Johannesburg - Jacques Blaauw returns to his conquer course when he defends his Vodacom Origins of Golf title at Sishen Golf and Country Club in Kathu, Northern Cape, from Thursday.
The 31-year-old Centurion-based player won last year’s event in spectacular fashion. He put on a masterclass performance on the final round to take home the R700 000 prize on the first hole of a play-off with Theunis Spangenberg.
Development tour
Blaauw, one of few Sunshine Tour players with the gift to hit the ball very far, will be out to prove that last year’s victory was no fluke.
He registered two victories in similar events in 2013 at the Vodacom Origins of Golf in Simola and Vocacom Origins of Golf Selborne in the space of a month.
According to Sunshine Tour media officer Mike Green, Blaauw is in a great frame of mind to make a successful title defence.
“I believe he has been playing in the US where he has been competing under the banner of Web.com, which is the developmental tour for the PGA Tour.
“Obviously, this is an indication that his golf is tops,” said Green.
Boasting a field
Blaauw is likely to encounter stiff competition from the likes of Doug McGuigan, who won eight times on the Sunshine Tour. His last victory came at the Vodacom Origins of Golf at St Francis two weeks ago, where he carded a score of -13 for a total of 203.
With the three-day contest boasting a field that includes Zambian Madalitso Muthiya and on-form local golfers Makhetha Mazibuko and Musiwalo Nethunzwi, golf lovers are in for a treat.
Muthiya won the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Wildcoast in July last year, closing with a score of -11 for 199.