Steyn City’s par-5 sixth hole is a back-breaking 595 metres (that translates to a staggering 651 yards) from tee to green, and the first half is uphill so it plays even longer than it’s yardage.
Nobody hits this big hole in two. Unless your name’s Wilco Nienaber that is.
In round one of the DB World Tour’s Steyn City Championship Thursday wonderboy Wilco ripped a monstrous drive up the middle. No, he didn’t need a three-wood or something similar to try and reach the green. Instead, the 21-year-old Free Stater bomber reached for his 2-iron. Caddie Ricci Roberts then watched in amazement as Wilco’s high, bullet-like approach cleared the bunker guarding the front right of the green, pitched on the putting surface and pretty much stopped dead. Two putts followed for a birdie on Wilco’s way to a six-under-par 66. If he’d hit a three-wood from where his drive came to rest he no doubt would have covered 700 yards in two shots.
“Quite honestly, when it comes to long hitting, I’m juggling with figures I never dreamed I’d be juggling with,” said Roberts, one of the world’s most experienced caddies who was with Ernie Els for most of the Big Easy’s 70-plus wins.
When it comes to the world’s top players, and the game’s biggest hitters, Ricci has seen everything. But until now he hadn’t seen anything like tall, wiry Nienaber’s thunderbolts. “He’s unbelievably talented. Big-hitting like I’ve pretty much never seen before. If there’s one thing lacking, it’s that Wilco needs to sharpen up on his wedge play, say from 120 metres in. And so I like to compare Wilco to Dustin Johnson who also was very long but struggled with his wedge play. When he did manage to sort that part of his game out he got to No 1 in the world.” Wilco No 1? Let’s not rush things just yet. Let’s just eagerly wait and see.
Nienaber opened his round Thursday with an eagle three on Steyn City’s par-5 10th hole en route to 66 for the day and he lies two shots off the lead going into Friday’s second round. If you like watching golf, this guy is entertainment second to none. And he’s fortunate to have wise, old Roberts beside him whispering advice in his ear.
Just one more fact. Yes, the par-4 seventh hole at Steyn City is downhill. But is a 416-yarder. That’s in play for Wilco though and he had to wait for the group ahead of his to clear the green before he drove off. No he didn’t find the putting surface with his tee-shot. But he came tantalisingly close. A little chip and putt and another birdie went down. His 66 is two off the pace.