Andy Capostagno golf
The annual return of the European Tour to South Africa usually presages two things; big money and heavy rain. And the signs are that this year will be no different.
The recent performance of the rand has already ensured that in local terms this week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship at the Houghton Golf Course is already worth considerably more than it would have been had it been played at the end of last year, rather than the beginning of this one; it’s currently worth about R5,5-million and rising.
As for the weather, it seems that until the United Cricket Board stops organising Test matches and one-day internationals on the highveld at this time of year, the Alfred Dunhill is doomed to be played under low skies streaked with lightning.
Last year’s event was shortened to 54 holes; and twice before the event has been concluded on a Monday, with Ernie Els being beaten into second place on both occasions.
But a Monday finish is probably impossible this year, for next week’s South African Open is in far-off East London and getting 156 golfers down there is hard enough without losing a day for removals.
So the organisers will be holding thumbs, crossing fingers, burying frogs and whatever else they can think of to ensure dry, lightning-free conditions and a worthy champion posing with the trophy at about five o’clock on Sunday evening.
Last year the photographers got one of those opportunities that seem wonderful on the drawing board and horribly contrived in practice. Someone managed to find a London taxi and get the champion to stand next to it, trophy in hand, while his caddie sat at the wheel looking proud.
The reason was that the champion, Anthony Wall of England, is the son of a London cabbie and the same Tom Wall happened to be his caddie at the event. There may be no such thing as bad publicity, but staged photos of this nature come fairly close.
Wall’s win was a breakthrough for him, his first title on the European Tour and he is back to defend it this year.
But the big names of Europe have decided to give South Africa a miss this year, which may take the gloss off the tournament for the public, but opens it up for the supporting casts of both Europe and South Africa in this co-sanctioned event.
The scores of the early starters on Thursday morning suggested that par would not be a good score this week.
Craig Kamps went out in 31, before reality returned with successive bogeys at the 10th and 11th holes.
England’s Justin Rose, born and raised in Johannesburg, birdied four of the first five holes and courtesy of a hot driver recorded a six-under-par 66.
But the start that raised the eyebrows more than somewhat was that of Titch Moore, the youthful runner-up to Trevor Immelman in the Players’ Championship at Royal Cape last month.
Moore made a bogey five at the first hole, then proceeded to hole his second shot for an eagle two at the second and made birdie four at the third. That is the kind of start that 99,9% of the golfing population would leave to Steven Spielberg.
Meanwhile, the prospect of winding down his playing career in favour of his golf course design business seems to have freed the troubled psyche of Nick Faldo.
The former world number one is believed to be in town only because he is designing a new course in the Northern Province, and the critics who told him for years that he was practising too hard would have felt vindicated by his first round of four-under-par 68.