South African Open (golf)

The South African Open Championship is one of the oldest national open golf championships in the world, and is one of the principal tournaments on the Sunshine Tour. Since 1997 it has also been co-sanctioned by the European Tour.

South African Open
Tournament information
LocationJohannesburg, South Africa
Established1903
Course(s)Randpark Golf Club
(Firethorn Course)
Par71
Length7,506 yards (6,863 m)
Tour(s)Sunshine Tour
European Tour (1997–)
Asian Tour (2018–2019)
FormatStroke play
Prize fundR 15,000,000
Month playedJanuary
Tournament record score
Aggregate264 Ernie Els (2006)
To par−24 (as above)
Current champion
Branden Grace
Randpark GC
Location in South Africa

Except for the 2017 edition, the tournament is 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.

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. 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.[1]

Since 2011 it has been held in the Johannesburg area. In 2011 and 2012 it was hosted by Serengeti Golf Club, while since 2013 it has been held at Glendower Golf Club.

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
YearSeasonWinnerCountryCourseScoreTo parMargin
of victory		Runner(s)-up
SunEuro
South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg
20202019–202020Branden Grace South AfricaRandpark GC263−213 strokes Louis Oosthuizen
201812018–192019Louis Oosthuizen South AfricaRandpark GC266−186 strokes Romain Langasque
BMW SA Open
201812017–182018Chris Paisley EnglandGlendower GC267−213 strokes Branden Grace
20172016–172017Graeme Storm EnglandGlendower GC270−18Playoff Rory McIlroy
20162016–172016Brandon Stone South AfricaGlendower GC274−142 strokes Christiaan Bezuidenhout
South African Open Championship
2015220142015Andy Sullivan EnglandGlendower GC277−11Playoff Charl Schwartzel
201320132014Morten Ørum Madsen DenmarkGlendower GC269−192 strokes Jbe' Kruger
Hennie Otto
SA Open Championship
201220122012Henrik Stenson SwedenSerengeti GC271−173 strokes George Coetzee
201120112011Hennie Otto South AfricaSerengeti GC274−141 stroke Bernd Wiesberger
South African Open Championship
201020102011Ernie Els (5) South AfricaDurban CC263−2531 stroke Retief Goosen
200920092010Richie Ramsay ScotlandPearl Valley275−13Playoff Shiv Kapur
200820082009Richard Sterne South AfricaPearl Valley274−14Playoff Gareth Maybin
South African Airways Open
200720072008James Kingston South AfricaPearl Valley284−41 stroke Oliver Wilson
20062006–072007Ernie Els (4) South AfricaHumewood GC264−243 strokes Trevor Immelman
200542005–062006Retief Goosen (2) South AfricaFancourt282−101 stroke Ernie Els
200542004–052005Tim Clark (2) South AfricaDurban CC273−156 strokes Grégory Havret
Charl Schwartzel
20042003–042004Trevor Immelman (2) South AfricaErinvale GC276−123 strokes Alastair Forsyth
Steve Webster
20032002–032003Trevor Immelman South AfricaErinvale GC274−14Playoff Tim Clark
Bell's South African Open
20022001–022002Tim Clark South AfricaThe Country Club269−192 strokes Steve Webster
Mercedes-Benz South African Open Championship
20012000–012001Mark McNulty (2) ZimbabweEast London GC280−81 stroke Justin Rose
20001999–002000Mathias Grönberg SwedenRandpark GC274−141 stroke Darren Fichardt
Ricardo González
Nick Price
Mercedes-Benz – Vodacom South African Open
19991998–991999David Frost (2) South AfricaStellenbosch GC279−51 stroke Scott Dunlap
Jeev Milkha Singh
South African Open
19981997–981998Ernie Els (3) South AfricaDurban CC273−153 strokes David Frost
19971996–971997Vijay Singh FijiGlendower GC270−181 stroke Nick Price
1.^ Two events in 2018 due to rescheduling from January to December.
2.^ No event in 2014 due to rescheduling from November to January.
3.^ 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.
4.^ Two events in 2005 due to rescheduling from January to December.

Prior to European Tour co-sanctioning

YearSeasonWinnerCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory		Runner(s)-up
Phillips South African Open
19961995–96Ernie Els (2) South Africa275−131 stroke Brenden Pappas
19951994–95Retief Goosen South Africa275−135 strokes Ernie Els
199311993–94Tony Johnstone (2) Zimbabwe267−217 strokes Ernie Els
199321992–93Clinton Whitelaw South Africa279−92 strokes Retief Goosen
Protea Assurance South African Open
19921991–92Ernie Els South Africa273−153 strokes Derek James
19911990–91Wayne Westner (2) South Africa272−164 strokes Mark James
Tony Johnstone

1 Tournament held in December 1993
2 Tournament held in February 1993

Multiple winners

Eighteen men have won this tournament more than once through 2018.

WinsPlayerCountryYears won
13Gary Player South Africa1956, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981
9Bobby Locke South Africa1935, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1955
8Sid Brews South Africa1925, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1949, 1952
5George Fotheringham Scotland1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1914
5Ernie Els South Africa1992, 1996, 1998, 2006, 2010
4Laurie Waters South Africa1903, 1904, 1907, 1920
4Jock Brews South Africa1921, 1923, 1926, 1928
2Arthur Gray England1905, 1906
2Harold Henning South Africa1957, 1962
2Retief Waltman South Africa1961, 1963
2Bobby Cole South Africa1974, 1980
2Wayne Westner South Africa1988, 1991
2Tony Johnstone Zimbabwe1984, 1993 (Dec)
2David Frost South Africa1986, 1999
2Mark McNulty Zimbabwe1987, 2001
2Trevor Immelman South Africa2003, 2004
2Tim Clark South Africa2002, 2005 (Jan)
2Retief Goosen South Africa1995, 2005 (Dec)

References
  1. "South African Open Championship History and Highlights". South African Open Championship. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2008.

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