Martin Vorster went back to playing golf like a kid again, and it resulted in a round of seven-under-par 65 to earn him the lead in Thursday’s first round of the SDC Open at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa.
Vorster focused himself on the pure enjoyment of the game as he finished the day with a one-stroke lead over fellow South Africans Jaco Prinsloo and MJ Viljoen.
“I think it just comes back to playing golf again. I got stuck in the technicalities of swinging the golf club and being too focused on that. Today it was just about playing golf, hitting shots and just being like a kid out there,” he said.
It was a key mindset shift for Vorster, who felt towards the end of last year that he was playing good golf but not getting the rewards.
And it led to the perfect start in this Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour co-sanctioned event, which gives him confidence for this key run of four co-sanctioned tournaments on home soil.
“It’s been a tough couple of months coming into this stretch, but I’m really proud with how I played and fought today. The game felt really solid. I felt like it’s starting to come back again. I’m so happy with the start. It’s been just about getting back to playing golf.”
His round was built on a solid first nine of six birdies and only one bogey. He added another two birdies on his second nine.
“I think we did a lot of good work in the preparation and mapped out the course really well to give myself the best chance for birdies,” said Vorster, who has his wife caddieing for him for only the second time this week.
“I love nature so that helps out here, and having my wife on the bag is really special. It’s the second week she’s caddieing for me. It’s just fun to have your life partner with you and to be in a bubble out there having great chats. She did a great job today. We just enjoyed it.”
Behind him, Prinsloo also felt the peace of a bushveld setting he grew up in, and drew on that in his round of 66.
“I grew up in Thabazimbi which is not far from here, and I’ve played here a lot and always enjoyed it. The course is always in good condition, especially this year. I love being here. It’s just the peace and tranquillity of the bushveld. It’s nice to see the animals and everything else. It’s calming,” he said
SCORES
65 - Martin Vorster
66 - Jaco Prinsloo
66 - MJ Viljoen
67 - Callum Farr
67 - Jaco Ahlers, Julien Sale, Luke Brown
68 - Tobias Eden
68 - Graham van der Merwe, Kieran Vincent, Christofer Rahm, Yurav Premlall, Ryan Van Velzen, Herman Loubser, Jean Hugo, Trevor Fisher Jnr, Ruan Korb, Justin Walters, Tyran Snyders, Jack Hawksby, Jordan Burnand
69 - Adam Wallin
69 - Haydn Porteous, Christofer Blomstrand, Julien Quesne, Nick Bachem, Kyle Barker, Ronan Kleu, Charles Huntzinger, Estiaan Conradie, Gerhard Pepler, Maxence Giboudot, Clement Sordet, Lucas Vacarisas, Rhys Enoch, Max Kennedy, Joel Moscatel, Kyle De Beer, Pablo Ereno, Stuart Krog
70 - Ryan van der Klis
70 - Martin Rohwer, Bjorn Akesson, Julien Brun, Deon Germishuys, Warwick Purchase, Jannik de Bruyn, Robert Foley, Makhetha Mazibuko, Alex Goff, Robin Williams, Lorenzo Scalise, Palmer Jackson, Dan Erickson, Luis Carrera, Wouter De Vries, Karabo Mokoena
71 - Alexander Knappe
71 - Jacques Blaauw, Haraldur Magnus, Robson Chinhoi, Calum Fyfe, Austin Bautista, Hennie O'Kennedy, Toto Thimba Jnr, Asier Aguirre, Marc Warren, Andres German Gallegos, Kieron van Wyk, Steven Brown, Matthis Besard, Robin Petersson, Ricky Hendler, Tristen Strydom, Joe Long
72 - Baard Skogen
72 - MJ Daffue, Nick Carlson, Matthias Schwab, Santiago Tarrio, Lars van Meijel, Victor Pastor, Albert Boneta, Nikhil Rama, James Mack, Jacques P de Villiers, Gary Hurley, Sam Jones, Hennie Otto, Pieter Moolman, Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen, Callum Tarren, Altin van der Merwe, Hurly Long, Liam Nolan, Franklin Manchest, Thomas Spreadborough, Ayden Knight, Keelan van Wyk, Stefan Wears-Taylor
73 - Rupert Kaminski
73 - Wynand Dingle, Collin Adams, CJ du Plessis, Ronan Mullarney, Robin Sciot-Siegrist, Jovan Rebula, Dylan Mostert, JJ Senekal, Hamish Brown, Wilco Nienaber, Josh Hilleard, Jason Roets
74 - Rory Franssen
74 - Samuel Simpson, Vince van Veen, Benjamin Rusch, Will Enefer, Malcolm Mitchell, Stephen Ferreira, Louis Albertse, Jean-Paul Strydom, Sam Hutsby, Keenan Davidse, Heinrich Bruiners, Matthew Southgate, Adri Arnaus, Rhys West
75 - Victor Sidal Svendsen
75 - Luke Jerling, Lyle Rowe, Keagan Thomas, Per Langfors, Canon Claycomb, Conor Purcell, Yannik Paul, Lukas Nemecz, George Coetzee
76 - Kayle Wykes
76 - Javier Barcos Garbayo, Christiaan Burke, Callan Barrow, Julian Perico
77 - Daan Huizing
77 - Thabiso Ngcobo, Anders Ejlersen, Neil Schietekat
78 - John Gough
78 - Bryce Easton, Sebastian Friedrichsen, Anton Albers, Musiwalo Nethunzwi, Alfie Plant
79 - Trevor Mahoney
79 - Kristian Hjort Bressum
80 - Pedro Figueiredo