South African Open (golf)

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:EngvarB Template:Infobox golf tournament The South African Open is one of the oldest national open golf championships in the world, having first been played in 1903, and is one of the principal tournaments on the Southern-Africa-based Sunshine Tour. Since 1997 it has also been co-sanctioned by the European Tour.

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.<ref name=saga>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

From 2011 until February 2020 it was held in the Johannesburg area; twice at Serengeti Golf Club, followed by five times at Glendower Golf Club, and then twice at Randpark Golf Club. In December 2020 it will move away from Johannesburg and be held at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.

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 as did Ernie Els.

In December 2018, the event became part of the Open Qualifying Series, giving up to three non-exempt players entry into The Open Championship.

The 2021 event was scheduled to be a co-sanctioned event between the European Tour and the Sunshine Tour. However due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in place in the UK from South Africa, the event was revised as a sole-sanctioned Sunshine Tour event.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Flagship event

From 1999 to 2016, the tournament was 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. It was replaced as the flagship event for 2017 by the Alfred Dunhill Championship before regaining its status the following year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2020, the Alfred Dunhill Championship once again replaced the South African Open as the tour's flagship event.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2021, the Alfred Dunhill Championship was scheduled to be the flagship event for the second consecutive year. However due to the cancellation of the tournament, the South African Open regained its flagship event status for the first time since the January 2020 event.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Winners

	Sunshine Tour (Flagship event)	1999–2016, 2018–2020 (Jan), 2021
	Sunshine Tour (Regular)	1972–1998, 2017, 2020 (Dec), 2022–
	Pre-Sunshine Tour	1903–1971

#	Year	Tour(s)Template:Efn	WinnerTemplate:Efn	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-upTemplate:Efn	Venue	Ref.
Investec South African Open Championship
114th	2025	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Dylan Naidoo	202Template:Efn	−14	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Laurie Canter	Durban
2024: No tournament
113th	2023	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Dean Burmester	277	−11	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Renato Paratore Template:Flagicon Jesper Svensson Template:Flagicon Ryan van Velzen	Blair Atholl
112th	2022	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Thriston Lawrence	272	−16	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Clément Sordet	Blair Atholl
SA Open Championship
111th	2021	AFR, EURTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Daniel van Tonder	272	−16	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Oliver Bekker	Gary Player
South African Open
110th	2020 (Dec)	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Christiaan Bezuidenhout	270	−18	5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jamie Donaldson	Gary Player
109th	2020 (Jan)	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Branden Grace	263	−21	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Louis Oosthuizen	Randpark
2019: No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January
108th	2018 (Dec)	AFR, ASA, EUR	Template:Flagicon Louis Oosthuizen	266	−18	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Romain Langasque	Randpark
BMW SA Open
107th	2018 (Jan)	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Chris Paisley	267	−21	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Branden Grace	Glendower
106th	2017	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Graeme Storm	270	−18	PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Rory McIlroy	Glendower	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
105th	2016	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Brandon Stone	274	−14	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Christiaan Bezuidenhout	Glendower
South African Open Championship
104th	2015	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Andy Sullivan	277	−11	PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Charl Schwartzel	Glendower	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014: No tournament due to rescheduling from November to January
103rd	2013	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Morten Ørum Madsen	269	−19	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jbe' Kruger Template:Flagicon Hennie Otto	Glendower
SA Open Championship
102nd	2012	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Henrik Stenson	271	−17	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon George Coetzee	Serengeti
101st	2011	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Hennie Otto	274	−14	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Bernd Wiesberger	Serengeti
South African Open Championship
100th	2010	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els (5)	263Template:Efn	−25Template:Efn	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Retief Goosen	Durban
99th	2009	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Richie Ramsay	275	−13	PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Shiv Kapur	Pearl Valley	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
98th	2008	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Richard Sterne	274	−14	PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Gareth Maybin	Pearl Valley	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
South African Airways Open
97th	2007	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon James Kingston	284	−4	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Oliver Wilson	Pearl Valley
96th	2006	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els (4)	264	−24	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Trevor Immelman	Humewood
95th	2005 (Dec)	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Retief Goosen (2)	282	−10	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els	Fancourt
94th	2005 (Jan)	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Tim Clark (2)	273	−15	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Grégory Havret Template:Flagicon Charl Schwartzel	Durban
93rd	2004	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Trevor Immelman (2)	276	−12	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Alastair Forsyth Template:Flagicon Steve Webster	Erinvale
92nd	2003	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Trevor Immelman	274	−14	PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Tim Clark	Erinvale	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Bell's South African Open
91st	2002	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Tim Clark	269	−19	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Steve Webster	The Country Club	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Mercedes-Benz South African Open
90th	2001	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Mark McNulty (2)	280	−8	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Justin Rose	East London
89th	2000	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Mathias Grönberg	274	−14	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Darren Fichardt Template:Flagicon Ricardo González Template:Flagicon Nick Price	Randpark
Mercedes-Benz - Vodacom South African Open
88th	1999	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon David Frost (2)	279	−5	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Scott Dunlap Template:Flagicon Jeev Milkha Singh	Stellenbosch
South African Open
87th	1998	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els (3)	273	−15	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon David Frost	Durban
86th	1997	AFR, EUR	Template:Flagicon Vijay Singh	270	−18	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Nick Price	Glendower
Phillips South African Open
85th	1996	AFR	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els (2)	275	−13	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Brenden Pappas	Royal Cape
84th	1995	AFR	Template:Flagicon Retief Goosen	275	−13	5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els	Randpark
1994: No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January
83rd	1993 (Dec)	AFR	Template:Flagicon Tony Johnstone (2)	267	−21	7 strokes	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els	Durban
82nd	1993 (Feb)	AFR	Template:Flagicon Clinton Whitelaw	279	−9	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Retief Goosen	Glendower
Protea Assurance South African Open
81st	1992	AFR	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els	273	−15	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Derek James	Houghton
80th	1991	AFR	Template:Flagicon Wayne Westner (2)	272	−16	4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Mark James Template:Flagicon Tony Johnstone	Durban
79th	1990	AFR	Template:Flagicon Trevor Dodds	285	−3	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Hugh Royer III	Royal Cape	<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
78th	1989	AFR	Template:Flagicon Fred Wadsworth	278	−10	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Tom Lehman	Glendower
Southern Suns South African Open
77th	1988	AFR	Template:Flagicon Wayne Westner	275	−13	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Ian Mosey	Durban	<ref name=sao1988>Template:Cite news</ref>
76th	1987	AFR	Template:Flagicon Mark McNulty	278	−10	PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Fulton Allem	Mowbray	<ref name=sao1987>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
75th	1986	AFR	Template:Flagicon David Frost	275	−13	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Tony Johnstone	Royal Johannesburg	<ref name=sao1986>Template:Cite news</ref>
South African Open
74th	1985	AFR	Template:Flagicon Gavan Levenson	280	−8	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Phil Simmons	Royal Durban	<ref name=sao1985>Template:Cite news</ref>
73rd	1984	AFR	Template:Flagicon Tony Johnstone	274	−14	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Fulton Allem	Houghton
72nd	1983	AFR	Template:Flagicon Charlie Bolling	278	−10	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Tertius Claassens	Royal Cape	<ref name=":11">Template:Cite news</ref>
1982: No tournament due to rescheduling from December to January
Datsun South African Open
71st	1981	AFR	Template:Flagicon Gary Player (13)	272	−16	PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon John Bland Template:Flagicon Warren Humphreys	Royal Johannesburg	<ref name=sao1981>Template:Cite news</ref>
70th	1980	AFR	Template:Flagicon Bobby Cole (2)	279	−9	4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Mark McNulty	Durban	<ref name=sao1980>Template:Cite news</ref>
British Airways/Yellow Pages South African Open
69th	1979	AFR	Template:Flagicon Gary Player (12)	279	−9	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Ian Mosey	Houghton	<ref name=sao1979>Template:Cite news</ref>
Yellow Pages South African Open
68th	1978	AFR	Template:Flagicon Hugh Baiocchi	285	−3	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Gavan Levenson	Mowbray	<ref name=sao1977n>Template:Cite news</ref>
67th	1977	AFR	Template:Flagicon Gary Player (11)	273	−15	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bobby Cole Template:Flagicon Dale Hayes	Royal Johannesburg
66th	1976 (Nov)	AFR	Template:Flagicon Gary Player (10)	280	−8	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon David Suddards (a) Template:Flagicon Bobby Verwey	Durban	<ref name=sao1976n>Template:Cite news</ref>
BP South African Open
65th	1976 (Jan)	AFR	Template:Flagicon Dale Hayes	287	−1	PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon John Fourie	Houghton	<ref name=sao1976f>Template:Cite news</ref>
64th	1975	AFR	Template:Flagicon Gary Player (9)	278	−10	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Allan Henning	Mowbray	<ref name=sao1975>Template:Cite news</ref>
South African Open
63rd	1974	AFR	Template:Flagicon Bobby Cole	272	−16	4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Allan Henning	Royal Johannesburg	<ref name=sao1974>Template:Cite news</ref>
BP South African Open
62nd	1973	AFR	Template:Flagicon Bob Charles	282	−6	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Vin Baker Template:Flagicon Bobby Cole Template:Flagicon Graham Marsh	Durban	<ref name=sao1973>Template:Cite news</ref>
South African Open
61st	1972	AFR	Template:Flagicon Gary Player (8)	274	−18	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Bobby Cole	Royal Johannesburg	<ref name=sao1972>Template:Cite news</ref>
60th	1971		Template:Flagicon Simon Hobday	276	−12	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Gary Player	Mowbray	<ref name=sao1971>Template:Cite news</ref>
59th	1970		Template:Flagicon Tommy Horton	285		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Terry Westbrook	Royal Durban
58th	1969		Template:Flagicon Gary Player (7)	273		6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Trevor Wilkes	Durban
57th	1968		Template:Flagicon Gary Player (6)	274		7 strokes	Template:Flagicon Cobie Legrange	Houghton
56th	1967		Template:Flagicon Gary Player (5)	279		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Allan Henning Template:Flagicon Mike Hoyle	East London
55th	1966		Template:Flagicon Gary Player (4)	278		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Harold Henning Template:Flagicon Cobie Legrange	Houghton
54th	1965		Template:Flagicon Gary Player (3)	273		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon John Hayes	Royal Cape
1964: No tournament due to two events in 1963
53rd	1963 (Dec)		Template:Flagicon Allan Henning	278		2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bruce Keyter	Bloemfontein
52nd	1963 (Mar)		Template:Flagicon Retief Waltman (2)	281		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Sewsunker Sewgolum	Durban
51st	1962		Template:Flagicon Harold Henning (2)	285		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Denis Hutchinson	Houghton
50th	1961		Template:Flagicon Retief Waltman	289		8 strokes	Template:Flagicon Barry Franklin (a)	East London
49th	1960		Template:Flagicon Gary Player (2)	280		7 strokes	Template:Flagicon Harold Henning Template:Flagicon Tommy Trevena	Mowbray
48th	1959		Template:Flagicon Denis Hutchinson (a)	282		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Gary Player	Royal Johannesburg
47th	1958		Template:Flagicon Arthur Stewart (a)	281		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke	Bloemfontein
46th	1957		Template:Flagicon Harold Henning	289		PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Sandy Guthrie	Humewood
45th	1956		Template:Flagicon Gary Player	286		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bruce Keyter	Durban
44th	1955		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (9)	283		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Reg Taylor	Zwartkop
43rd	1954		Template:Flagicon Reg Taylor (a)	289		2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jannie le Roux (a)	East London
42nd	1953		Template:Flagicon Jimmy Boyd (a)	302		PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Otway Hayes	Royal Cape
41st	1952		Template:Flagicon Sid Brews (8)	305		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Sandy Guthrie	Humewood
40th	1951		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (8)	277		9 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Boyd (a) Template:Flagicon Harry Bradshaw	Houghton
39th	1950		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (7)	280		11 strokes	Template:Flagicon Sandy Guthrie	Durban
38th	1949		Template:Flagicon Sid Brews (7)	291		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Eric Moore	Maccauvlei
37th	1948		Template:Flagicon Mickey Janks (a)	298		PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon Sandy Guthrie	East London
36th	1947		Template:Flagicon Ronnie Glennie (a)	293		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Eric Moore	Mowbray
35th	1946		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (6)	285		14 strokes	Steve Boshoff (a)	Royal Johannesburg
1941–1945: No tournament due to World War II
34th	1940		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (5)	293		10 strokes	Steve Boshoff (a)	Port Elizabeth
33rd	1939		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (4)	279		8 strokes	Maurice Bodmer (a) Template:Flagicon Clarence Olander (a)	Durban
32nd	1938		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (3)	279		5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Sid Brews	Maccauvlei
31st	1937		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (a) (2)	288		11 strokes	Template:Flagicon Clarence Olander (a)	East London
30th	1936		Template:Flagicon Clarence Olander (a)	297		PlayoffTemplate:Efn	J Robertson	Royal Cape
29th	1935		Template:Flagicon Bobby Locke (a)	296		3 strokes	Jock Verwey (a)	Parkview
28th	1934		Template:Flagicon Sid Brews (6)	319		7 strokes	Jock Verwey (a)	Humewood
27th	1933		Template:Flagicon Sid Brews (5)	297		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Charles McIlvenny	Maccauvlei
26th	1932		Template:Flagicon Charles McIlvenny	304		4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bob Grimsdell	Mowbray
25th	1931		Template:Flagicon Sid Brews (4)	302		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bob Grimsdell Template:Flagicon Charles McIlvenny	Port Elizabeth
24th	1930		Template:Flagicon Sid Brews (3)	297		11 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jock Brews	East London
23rd	1929		Template:Flagicon Archie Tosh	315		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Jock Brews	Royal Cape
22nd	1928		Template:Flagicon Jock Brews (4)	297		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Sid Brews	Durban
21st	1927		Template:Flagicon Sid Brews (2)	301		5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bert Elkin Template:Flagicon Charles McIlvenny	Maccauvlei
20th	1926		Template:Flagicon Jock Brews (3)	301		9 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bert Elkin	Port Elizabeth
19th	1925		Template:Flagicon Sid Brews	295		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jock Brews	Johannesburg
18th	1924		Template:Flagicon Bert Elkin	316		9 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jock Brews Template:Flagicon Sid Brews	Durban
17th	1923		Template:Flagicon Jock Brews (2)	315		1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Archie Tosh	Royal Cape
16th	1922		Template:Flagicon Fred Jangle	310		7 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jock Brews	Port Alfred
15th	1921		Template:Flagicon Jock Brews	316		3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Archie Tosh	Port Elizabeth
14th	1920		Template:Flagicon Laurie Waters (4)	302		2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bert Elkin	Johannesburg
13th	1919		Template:Flagicon William Horne	320		9 strokes	Template:Flagicon Hugh Gordon Stewart (a)	Durban
1915–1918: No tournament due to World War I
12th	1914		Template:Flagicon George Fotheringham (5)	299		20 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jock Brews	Royal Cape
11th	1913		Template:Flagicon Jimmy Prentice (a)	304		2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Willie Binnie Template:Flagicon Jack Fotheringham	Kimberley
10th	1912		Template:Flagicon George Fotheringham (4)	305		10 strokes	Template:Flagicon Laurie Waters	Potchefstroom
9th	1911		Template:Flagicon George Fotheringham (3)	301		11 strokes	Template:Flagicon David Guthrie	Durban
8th	1910		Template:Flagicon George Fotheringham (2)	315		5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Arthur Gray	Royal Cape
7th	1909		Template:Flagicon Jack Fotheringham	306		2 strokes	Template:Flagicon George Fotheringham	Potchefstroom
6th	1908		Template:Flagicon George Fotheringham	294		9 strokes	Template:Flagicon Laurie Waters	Port Elizabeth
5th	1907		Template:Flagicon Laurie Waters (3)	147Template:Efn		5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Walter Day Jr	Kimberley
4th	1906		Template:Flagicon Arthur Gray (2)	151		3 strokes	H. F. Watson (a)	East London
3rd	1905		Template:Flagicon Arthur Gray			PlayoffTemplate:Efn	Template:Flagicon George Fotheringham	Garrison Club
2nd	1904		Template:Flagicon Laurie Waters (2)	143		4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Arthur Gray	Johannesburg
1st	1903		Template:Flagicon Laurie Waters	163		3 strokes	J. W. Stewart	Port Elizabeth

Source:<ref name=saga/><ref name=sabsor>Template:Cite book</ref>

See also

• Open golf tournament

External links

• Coverage on the European Tour's official site
• Coverage on the Sunshine Tour's official site
• Coverage on Investec's official site