South African Masters
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Established | 1923 |
| Course(s) | Wild Coast Sun Country Club |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,351 yards |
| Tour(s) | Sunshine Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | R 1,200,000 |
| Month played | November |
| Final year | 2011 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 263 Darren Fichardt (2009) |
| To par | −19 Desvonde Botes (1999) |
| Final champion | |
 Shaun Norris | |
The South African Masters was one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the Sunshine Tour. It was last played in 2011. Before its discontinuation, it had a prize fund of 1.2 million rand and was held at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club on the KwaZulu-Natal border, South Africa.
The tournament had its roots in the South African Professional Match Play Championship, the running of which was taken over by the PGA of South Africa in 1957. Under the sponsorship of Dunlop the event transitioned into a 72-hole stroke play event in 1960.[1]
The first edition of the new Dunlop Masters, at Houghton Golf Club in 1960, was won by Gary Player with an aggregate score of 266, a record that stood for 44 years. Player's total was equalled in 1970 by John Fourie, the only amateur to claim the title. Andrew McLardy posted 264 at the Wild Coast resort in 2004 and Darren Fichardt holds the record of 263 set on the par-70 course in 2009.
The South African Masters, along with the South African Open and the South African PGA Championship formed the Triple Crown. Winning all three titles in the same season was a feat only achieved by Gary Player and Ernie Els.[2]
Winners
| Year | Season | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashua Masters | |||
| 2011 | 2011 | Shaun Norris |
271 (−9) |
| 2010 | 2010 | Warren Abery |
267 (−13) |
| 2009 | 2009 | Darren Fichardt |
263 (−17) |
| 2008 | 2008 |  Marc Cayeux |
268 (−12) |
| 2007 | 2007 2006–07 |
Jean Hugo |
269 (−11)PO |
| 2006 | 2005–06 | Warren Abery |
265 (−15) |
| 2005 | 2004–05 | Richard Sterne |
269 (−11) |
| 2004 | 2003–04 | Andrew McLardy |
264 (−16) |
| 2002 | 2002–03 | Hennie Otto |
279 (−1) |
| 2002 | 2001–02 |  Justin Rose |
265 (−15) |
| Nashua Nedtel Cellular Masters | |||
| 2001 | 2000–01 | Mark McNulty |
274 (−6) |
| South African Masters | |||
| 2000 | 1999–00 | No tournament | |
| 1999 | 1998–99 | Desvonde Botes |
269 (−19) |
| 1998 | 1997–98 | No tournament | |
| San Lameer South African Masters | |||
| 1997 | 1996–97 | Mark McNulty |
276 (−12) |
| 1996 | 1995–96 | Wayne Westner |
280 (−8) |
| Telekom South African Masters | |||
| 1995 | 1994–95 |  Scott Dunlap |
279 (−9)PO |
| 1994 | 1993–94 | Chris Davison |
281 (−7) |
| EVS South African Masters | |||
| 1993 | 1992–93 | Tony Johnstone |
275 (−13) |
| 1992 | 1991–92 |  Ernie Els |
275 (−13) |
| Twee Jonge Gezellen Masters | |||
| 1990 | Fulton Allem |
276 (−12) | |
| 1989 | Hugh Baiocchi |
281 | |
| Safmarine South African Masters | |||
| 1988 | John Bland |
275 | |
| 1987 | David Frost |
273 | |
| 1986 | Mark McNulty |
270 | |
| 1985 | Mark McNulty |
278 | |
| 1984 | Tony Johnstone |
277 | |
| 1983 | No tournament | ||
| SAB South African Masters | |||
| 1982 | Mark McNulty |
275 | |
| 1981 | Nick Price |
281 (−7) | |
| 1980 | No tournament | ||
| Kronenbrau South African Masters | |||
| 1979 |  Gary Player |
270 | |
| 1978 | Dale Hayes |
275 | |
| Dunlop South African Masters | |||
| 1977 | No tournament | ||
| 1976 (Nov) | Gary Player |
270 | |
| 1976 (Feb) | Gary Player |
268 (−12) | |
| 1975* | John Fourie |
199 | |
| 1974 | Gary Player |
270PO [3] | |
| 1973 | No tournament | ||
| 1972 (Dec) | Gary Player |
268 [4][5] | |
| 1972 (Jan) | Gary Player |
267[6] | |
| 1971 | Gary Player |
269 (-15) | |
| 1970 | John Fourie (A) |
266 | |
| 1969 | Bobby Cole |
280 | |
| 1968 | Allan Henning |
278 | |
| 1967 | Gary Player |
279 | |
| 1966 | Cedric Amm |
276 | |
| 1965 | Denis Hutchinson |
281 | |
| 1964 | Gary Player |
285 | |
| 1963 | Bruce Keyter |
291 | |
| 1962 | Denis Hutchinson |
280 | |
| 1961 | Denis Hutchinson |
276 | |
| 1960 | Gary Player |
266 | |
* - Event reduced to 54 holes in 1975[7]
Match-play era
References
- ^ Vlismas, Michael (2012). The Extraordinary Book of South African Golf. Penguin Random House South Africa. ISBN 978-0143529729.
- ^ "History of the South African Masters sponsored by Nashua". Sunshine Tour. 30 January 2008. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2008.
- ^ "Player wins". The Glasgow Herald. 28 January 1974.
- ^ "O'Leary deposes Player". The Glasgow Herald. 2 December 1972.
- ^ "Golf - Johannesburg". The Times. 4 December 1972. p. 12.
- ^ "Player retains Masters' title". The Glasgow Herald. 24 January 1972.
- ^ "Nashua Masters Information Sheet" (PDF). supersport.co.za. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
External links
- Sunshine Tour - official site
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