Vorster leads by one in Betway Big Easy Tour season-opener

The new Betway Big Easy Tour season got off to an exciting start at Benoni Country Club where Parys Golf and Country Club member Leon Vorster shot an impressive five-under 67 to lead by one shot after Tuesday’s round.

With Betway as the new sponsor of this Sunshine Tour feeder circuit, there was excitement all round the clubhouse at Benoni Country Club as the 2024/25 season got under way.

Vorster was as outstanding as ever and produced a fine round of golf to take the early lead.

“I played really well today,” he said. “I putted well too. This course is quite tight, you know, but I think if you hit your driver well you will give yourself opportunities. The course is not very long and if you hit your driver well and get dialled in with your wedges, you can get some good scores around here.”

Leon Vorster shot 5-under 67 in the first tournament of the Betway Big Easy Tour season at #benonicountryclub. He leads by 1 going into day two.#betwaybigeasytour#greatnessbeginshere pic.twitter.com/8wb7h1FpWw

— Big Easy Tour (@bigeasytourgolf) June 25, 2024

Vorster opened his round with an eagle and two birdies in the first five holes to set himself up for a good round.

He dropped on 15 – his sixth hole of the day – but made up for that with a birdie on the first which was his 10th hole.

Those gains were soon lost, however, as he dropped on two. He made further gains on the 14th and closed with another birdie for a slim one-stroke lead.

“I hit a very good driver on 10; just on the left of the fairway. Then, I hit a 5-iron to about six-feet; straight uphill putt and it was in the hole. It was a great start and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Coming in with an impressive score of his own – a 68 – veteran campaigner and member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, Irvin Mazibuko put his experience out for all to see.

En route to his four-under 68 opening round, the Soweto Country Club player didn’t drop a single shot on Tuesday.

He is in a three-way share of second spot alongside Tyron Davidowitz and Gerhard Trytsman.

“You needed to be patient today,” Mazibuko said. “It was a day of patience even though I was hitting the ball well. This course is not as long but it is tough like the others we play on the Betway Big Easy Tour. The main thing is to hit the greens here and be patient if you’re not making putts; keep going. So, I would say the key for me was patience; being able to wait for your opportunities and when they came, you take advantage.”

Member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, Irvin Mazibuko shot an impressive 4-under 68 in the opening round of the first event of the Betway Big Easy Tour season.

He is one shot off the lead. #benonicountryclub#betwaybigeasytour #greatnessbeginshere #papwasewgolumclass pic.twitter.com/QeQSqCrq0d

— Big Easy Tour (@bigeasytourgolf) June 25, 2024

Davidowitz said of his first round: “I got off to a good start; birdied two of the first four holes. And then, I hit a couple of bad drives and made a couple of bogeys and shot four-under with a bogey-free back nine. That was nice.”

Eugene du Plessis, Brandon Gildenhuys and another member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, Musiwalo Nethunzwi, share fifth on the leaderboard after they all shot 69s. Tyrone Ryan, Richard Kruger, Thabang Simon, Toto Thimba Jnr and Yurav Premlal share eighth on two-under-par.

SCORES

67 - Leon Vorster

68 - Tyron Davidowitz, Gerhard Trytsman, Irvin Mazibuko

69 - Eugene Du Plessis, Brandon Gildenhuys, Musiwalo Nethunzwi

70 - Richard Kruger, Tyrone Ryan, Thabang Simon, Yurav Premlall, Toto Thimba Jnr

71 - Nicholas Lewis, Sabelo Xolani Majola, Paul Boshoff, Drikus Joubert, Marcel Steyn Scholtz, Kyle McClatchie, Ryan Tipping, Andre De Decker, Brandon Pieters

72 - Amilkar Bhana, Jonathan Waschefort, Andre Van Dyk, Terence Boardman, Allister de Kock, Philip Geerts, Jaden Deltel, Sentanio Minnie, Mike Maile, Kayle Wykes, Slade Pickering, Christian Kriek, Trevor Mahoney, Andrew McLardy

73 - Karabo Mokoena, Joe Knox, Keelan van Wyk, Johnathan Ackerman, Erhard Lambrechts, Jacquin Hess, Dillon Germshuys, Christopher Long, Steven Le Roux, James Pennington, Regan Steyn

74 - Eric Wowor, Graham van der Merwe, Xander Basson, Jason Froneman, Henning du Plooy, Jastice Mashego, Leon Visser, Lyle Pedro, Makhetha Mazibuko, Vaughn van Deventer

75 - David Amm, Luke Mayo, Shalan Govender, Shaydon Johnson, Louis Liebenberg, Werner Deyzel, Thabiso Ngcobo, Warwick Purchase, Siyanda Mwandla, Reece Mc Kain, Luke Trocado, Michael Kok, Therion Nel

76 - Keagan Crosbie, Jonathan Williams, Gerard du Plooy, Nicholaus Frade, Teboho Sefatsa, Richard Joubert

77 - Sean Paxton, Janko van der Merwe, Umar Davids, Ruan de Smidt, Jabulane Mabilane

78 - Khanya Mkhize, Carlo Heunis, Thanda Mavundla, Eben Spangenberg, CJ Levey

79 - Aneurin Gounden, Ace Andile Adam, Letsoso Letsai, Dehan Joubert, Mark Maart, Keelan Africa

80 - Kael Strydom, Hayden Garcia, Chase Paton, Carlos Losper, Francois Van der Walt, Slenda Sithebe

81 - Tumelo Molloyi, Ricco Motsa, Matthew Rushton

82 - Christiaan Heyman

83 - Mutahi Kibugu

84 - Jarryd Govender

85 - Lincon Denzy Cele

87 - Brandon Moodley

RTD - Llewellyn Leibrandt, Ulrich van den Berg, Sipho Bujela