Herman Loubser signed for a 67 after Friday’s first round of the Vodacom Origins of Golf played at the Parys Golf & Country Estate, to lead by one stroke on five-under-par.
Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi is hot on his heals trailing by one shot on four-under-par 68 with a group of ten players currently in joint third position on three-under-par 69.
Kelsey Nicholas and Gabrielle Venter are the leading Sunshine Ladies Tour professionals on one-over-par 73.
Loubser started his round on the back nine and although he dropped two shots early on, managed to settle into a good rhythm, carding an eagle and claiming a further five birdies.
“I started off with a bogey. It was a cold morning so it was tough. Then I made another silly drop on the 16th after a poor tee-shot. The eagle on the 18th helped me to bounce back so the overall round was really good. I had a good day,” said Loubser.
The South African is currently in good form after finishing second at the recent Mopani Zambia Open and in joint second position at last week’s FNB Eswatini Open.
Our clubhouse leader Herman Loubser is trending in the right direction. 📈 #VOGFinal #VOOG #GreatnessBeginsHere #SunshineTour pic.twitter.com/LGDZ8hCCOT
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) August 15, 2025
“The confidence is pretty good at the moment as I am working on the right things. It’s definitely getting better and a really nice feeling and place to be. Second places are also good but hopefully a win is coming pretty soon” Loubser added.
SIMPLE GAME PLAN
Loubser’s game plan for tomorrow is to keep things simple.
“Tomorrow is only the second round, so there is no need to do anything crazy. I just need to get myself in decent positions to shoot a good score, in order to be in a good position for the final round”.
A two-day pro-am set the tone for the main professional tournament. The pro-am was won by amateur Steven Matthews, who played with Sunshine Tour professional Thomas Spreadborough on day one and Jacques Blaauw on day two.
Matthews leads the top three amateurs from this event who have qualified for the final at Pezula Golf Estate in November.
“This was a fantastic experience. To have qualified for the final is incredible, although it leaves me with a bit of a challenge because the final is right on my wedding anniversary,” said Matthews.
The Sunshine Tour professionals also took part in a golf clinic with the Free State/Northern Cape chapter of the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB).
“It was so productive for our young golfers. As a coach it was also valuable for me because I learnt a few things from the professionals that I can now pass on to our golfers,” said Tshepo Mokoena, an SAGDB Coach and Assistant Manager.
How things stand after the first round of the #VOGParys#GreatnessBeginsHere #SunshineTour pic.twitter.com/BSeo5aHRll
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) August 15, 2025
SCORES
67 - Herman Loubser
68 - Robson Chinhoi
69 - Ryan van der Klis, CJ du Plessis, George Coetzee, Wynand Dingle, Gregory Mckay, Luke Brown, Trevor Fisher Jnr, Danie Van Niekerk, Warwick Purchase, Joe Long
70 - Jason Roets, Yurav Premlall, Ruan Korb, Marcus Sandile Taylor, Ruan de Smidt, Nikhil Rama, Kyle De Beer, Fredrik From
71 - Heinrich Bruiners, Liam Grehan, Thomas Spreadborough, Stuart Krog, Stals Swart
72 - Jason Broomhead, Leon Vorster, Ockie Strydom, Kieran Vincent, Jaco Ahlers, Martin Vorster, Altin van der Merwe, Rupert Kaminski, Benjamin Van Wyk, Tristen Strydom, Peter Karmis, Luke Jerling, Jacques Blaauw, JJ Senekal, Martin Rohwer, Allister de Kock
73 - James Mack, Hennie O'Kennedy, Jaco Prinsloo, Jean Hugo, Kelsey Nicholas, Gabrielle Venter, Tyran Snyders, Pierre Viallaneix, Ricky Hendler, Ethan Smith, Christiaan Basson, Rhys West, Doug McGuigan, Samuel Simpson, Keelan van Wyk, Austin Bautista, Rourke van der Spuy, Keegan Mclachlan, Tyron Davidowitz
74 - Pierre Pellegrin, Gerhard Pepler, Paul Boshoff, Luke Mayo, Symone Henriques, Slade Pickering, Ruan Groenewald, Matthew Spacey, Xander Basson, Kyle McClatchie, Stephen Ferreira, Kyle Barker, Lyle Rowe, Estiaan Conradie, Tomas Gana
75 - Karabo Mokoena, Quintin Wilsnach, Pieter Moolman, Franklin Manchest, Allen John, Rowan Lester, Cara Gorlei, Jordan Burnand, Mikkel Antonsen, Hayden Griffiths, Keenan Davidse, Christiaan Burke, Jean-Paul Strydom, Dylan Mostert, Eric Wowor, Graham van der Merwe, Keanu Pestana, Keagan Thomas, Zachary Chegwidden
76 - Marcel Steyn Scholtz, Zethu Myeki, Tyrone Ryan, Jack Hawksby, Toto Thimba Jnr, Sentanio Minnie, Makhetha Mazibuko
77 - Hennie Otto, MJ Viljoen, Christian Kriek, Jacquin Hess, Werner Deyzel
78 - Conner Mackenzie, Alex Haindl, Jacques P de Villiers, Luca Filippi, Nadia van der Westhuizen, Nick Cunningham, Sean Cronje, Jonathan Broomhead, Musiwalo Nethunzwi, Ruan Conradie
79 - Albert Venter, Anthony Michael, Bronwyn Doeg, Thabiso Ngcobo, Otto Van Buynder
80 - Simon du Plooy
81 - Luis Carrera, Cara Ford, Jordan Duminy
82 - Brandon Meads
RTD - Lora Assad