The Royal Swazi Sun Golf Club in Swaziland’s majestic Ezulwini Valley promises a wonderful challenge for the Sunshine Tour field arriving for the R550 000 Samsung Royal Swazi Sun Open, which tees off this week from May 3-6.
The evergreen course, playing to an increased yardage of 5 983m, has now grown into several changes affected by course superintendent Gaerun Wilkinson over the last two years.
According to tournament director Theo Manyama, Wilkinson’s work has the course in perfect condition ahead of the fourth leg of the 2006 Winter Swing.
”The course is in excellent shape, even better than last year,” said Manyama. ”It’s green all over, with perfect fairways and the new tees, which were very young last year, have grown in beautifully.
”Despite the lingering rain, this is probably the best condition I’ve ever seen it in.”
Golf director Benji Falcomer concurred, stating that the course was prepared for the Zone Six Games held just a week ago and is as tournament ready as it will ever be.
”We hosted the top amateurs from 12 African nations knowing that the Sunshine Tour would arrive just a week later. Our preparation was such that we could guarantee that the course could stand the test for two top tournaments back-to-back.”
At this point Manyama is hesitant to confirm whether the tournament will be played with preferred lies, unlike in 2004 when heavy pre-tournament rain saturated the fairways.
”There was a bit of rain last week and we have had a light drizzle all of today, but the course drains well. We will have placing in the qualifier on Tuesday, but the forecast is for the weather to improve.
”The course plays a bit longer as a result of the slight moisture and the players won’t get the usual run, but if the ground is dry enough to ensure that the ball will not be picking up mud, we may decide to drop it for the tournament.”
No rain is forecast in the Mbabane region for the duration 72-hole tournament, although the players can expect a mild distraction to come from a light breeze, which is expected to waft the flags all week.
As always, the conditions are expected to be perfect for low scoring.
The modified Stableford tournament format this week rewards attacking play, especially at the par-5s of this par-72 layout that has traditionally encouraged the field to play aggressively.
In keeping with Wilkinson’s desire to make reaching the green more challenging, the rough in front of the fifth and 12th holes, which was planted early in 2004, has been retained, adding to the challenge.
The format this week allocates eight points for an albatross, five for an eagle, two for a birdie and zero for a par. A bogey will cost one point, and a double bogey (or worse) three.
Last year’s champion, Hendrik Buhrmann, has returned from Asia to defend the title he claimed with an unexpected victory in a thrilling finale last year.
The 42-year-old Buhrmann, who made five consecutive birdies from the sixth hole, negotiated a nervy closing stretch to eliminate Brett Liddle, who blitzed home in nine-under-par 63 and hold off Ross Wellington chasing hard.
Buhrmann produced a six-under-par 66 for 14 points on the final day and a winning score of 42 points, with Wellington finishing in second and Liddle in third.
With that victory, Burhmann joined an esteemed group of Swazi champions, including John Bland, Hugh Biaocchi, Allan Henning, Mark McNulty, Ernie Els and more recent winners, Marc Cayeux, Des Terblanche, Bradford Vaughan and Nic Henning.
The pros also have an increased purse of R550 000 to challenge for this week from new sponsor, electronics giant Samsung.
Tuesday’s pre-qualifying tournament will see 58 players battle for 10 places into the tournament field. – Sapa