Royal Johannesburg and Kensington player Keaton Slatter says while it was initially tough to deal with the tragedy of losing his home in the recent floods in KwaZulu Natal, he has found a focus point which he hopes will propel him to success in the Altron Big Easy Tour this season.
Slatter’s family, based in Durban, was among the hundreds of people who lost their livelihoods when the floods struck some two months ago.
“Leading up to Q-School; that week of Q-School, the floods in Durban hit our house and we lost everything,” Slatter reveals. “My parents and my fiancé were inside the house but thankfully, they managed to get out, so that’s the main thing that’s a plus. They all survived and they are here, so that’s the most important thing.”
With his family safe and the tragedy now a painful memory, Slatter got down to work on his golf and played the first tournament of the Altron Big Easy Tour at Blue Valley Golf Estates where he missed the cut. In the second event at Huddle Park Golf Club a week ago, Slatter finished in a share of 10th.
“It was tough to restart, obviously, because it was still new and fresh,” Slatter says, “but it kind of motivated me to do what I need to do and put the work into my golf so that I can get where I want to be. Luckily, I have a strong support system that takes care of that stuff and not make me think too much about it. I’d say the whole thing has driven me to work even harder.”
Slatter is playing the Altron Big Easy Tour event that’s being hosted at Reading Country Club this week and that share of 10th at Huddle Park will give him another boost as aims to rebuild his life, on and off the golf course.
The 28-year-old is among many players who have heaped praise on Altron for joining hands with the Sunshine Tour to rebrand and invest in the Big Easy Tour.
“It’s a huge thing for us playing to have a sponsor like Altron,” Slatter added, “they’re an awesome organisation that’s leading the way in their industry so it’s nice of them to give us these opportunities to perform, week in and week out. It’s a fantastic thing for golf and we hope it encourages other corporates to invest in South African golf too.”
The Big Easy Tour was founded in 2011 with support from Ernie Els and counts current international star Christiaan Bezuidenhout among its former Order of Merit winners.