Leopard Creek Times Alfred Dunhill Championship Daily News & Order of Play ROUND 2, FRIDAY 29 NOVEMBER, 2019 GOOD WIL HUNTING GLORY AT LEOPARD CREEK On a scorching hot first day of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, it was the over six-foot tall Wil Besseling of The Netherlands who left the rest of the field standing in his shade as he took a one-stroke lead at Leopard Creek. esseling opened with a and with a birdie on the last,” he reach of Besseling after the first layoff yielded a two-under-par 70. round of seven-under-par said. day. Frenchman Adrien Saddier claimed 65 to lead by one over South And he was equally happy with be- Larrazabal in particular reveled in the first hole-in-one of this year’s B th Africa’s Keith Horne, Englishman ing able to wear shorts following his love for Leopard Creek and tournament on the par-three 16 to Garrick Porteous and Spaniard Pa- the groundbreaking decision by the signed for a 66 in which he dropped also finish the day on two under. blo Larrazabal. European Tour and Sunshine Tour only one shot. Ernie Els, the winner of the 2005 It was exactly the start he was hop- to allow for this based on the exces- Behind them, former champion Alfred Dunhill Championship, ing for in what was the first round sive heat this week. Branden Grace is only three shots signed for an opening round of of the European Tour’s new sea- “It was definitely a nice change. I back following a 68 which he said two-over-par 74. son. mean, the first time ever on tour brought back memories of his 2014 “It’s a great start to the season, and wearing shorts in a tournament triumph in this tournament. a great round. I played well from round, and probably this is the Further down the leaderboard, the start and gave myself opportu- place to do it,” he said. Charl Schwartzel’s first tournament nities. I’m really happy with a 65, But the field remains well within round after an eight-month injury Photographs courtesy of Getty Images, Sunshine Tour, Grant Leversha, Christiaan Kotze @dunhilllinks @alfreddunhilllinks Pablo Larrazabal. GOLFRSA’S YOUNG STARS MAKE THEIR CHAMPIONSHIP DEBUT Wilco Nienaber. ookie professionals Wilco Nienaber, The National Junior Development Centre was “It’s helped a tremendous amount with moving Garrick Higgo and Deon Germishuys, also established at Leopard Creek in 2015 to from amateur to professional. It really prepared Rand top-ranked South African amateur create a world-class practice facility for me well for my professional career,” he said. Jayden Schaper are all making their debut in the GolfRSA and South African Golf Development The new young star of South African Alfred Dunhill Championship this week as the Board (SAGDB) golfers. professional golf has high expectations for his new generation of young stars to emerge from The fruits of these efforts were seen in last generation. GolfRSA. year’s South African Open hosted by the City of “I’m very excited about this new generation of The four golfers represent the excellent work of Johannesburg when a record four amateurs South Africans coming through. There are a lot the GolfRSA National Squad, with the generous made it through to the weekend of the of us pushing each other to new heights. In our PABLO IN LOVE WITH support of Johann Rupert, to identify the championship. top amateur events it’s not often that the same country’s top amateur talent and expose them to Nienaber in particular recognizes the role his golfer wins, so it’s great to see the depth we the highest international amateur competition to time with GolfRSA has played in helping him have at the moment.” LEOPARD CREEK ensure their best possible preparation for a make the transition to the professional ranks professional career. this year. paniard Pablo Larrazabal loves wildlife. I would buy a place here if it coming over to Leopard Creek was five/six hours from Barcelona.” Sso much every year for the Unsurprisingly, given that Leopard Alfred Dunhill Championship, saying Creek is a favourite destination of it’s one of the first commitments he his, the 36-year-old Larrazabal said it SAVE TIME AND ENJOY THE REWARDS makes every season, and that if it is a course that also just seems to suit were closer to Barcelona he would his eye and he made it count in a Say goodbye to lengthy paperwork and enjoy priority service. Sign up for Preferred now, its Free! even buy a house on the property. top-class round that included five AVIS Now in his 13th season as a birdies and an eagle on the 15th. A AVIS.CO.ZA European Tour professional, three-putt for bogey on the par-four Larrazabal put all that experience to 11th was the only blemish. great use in the first round as he “I played very solid and I just feel like played his way into contention with a I can play well here every time. The six-under-par 66. course suits my eye. It is tough from The Alfred Dunhill Championship is the tees and you have to hit the ball the first tournament of the European straight. The new grass means the Tour’s new season, and Larrazabal course is playing shorter because the was more than happy with his start. ball runs more, but that also makes it “A six-under-par start the season is trickier and the greens can be firmer exactly what you’re looking for. I hit a and quicker with this bent grass. lot of good shots and had many “You have to play smart golf. You opportunities for birdies,” he said. don’t have to hit the ball far from the “I love this place. We are always tee, but you have to be straight. treated so well here and it is number That’s what I like, you don’t want to one on my calendar. Leopard Creek just be taking driver out. You have to is one of the best courses on tour. think around here.” Growing up in the city (Barcelona), coming to the bush is very special for me. I love it – all the nature and the 2 3 Branden Grace. TAKING A SWING AT PLASTIC The Alfred Dunhill Championship has followed the example set by The Open Championship and reduced GRACE MAKES SHORT WORK OF HIS 68 single-use plastic bottled water from the tournament. randen Grace won the Alfred Dunhill course have settled in nicely now and the rough professional golfers aren’t used to is applying he partnership between Refill Co, the purification system – services the indoor Plastic Bottles and Plastic Waste Championship at Leopard Creek in is up more than normal too,” Grace said. sunscreen to their legs before a tournament global water technology company hospitality areas. B2014, a few years before the extensive “When I won here, I played pretty aggressively round. TBluewater and the Alfred Dunhill All the refill solutions purify water sourced • By 2050 estimates say that there will be improvements to the course. But he said there is from the tee and I did the same thing in the first “I’m going to see how red my legs are in the Championship is the first of its kind on the from the Crocodile River, reducing the demand more plastic in the sea by mass, than fish. little change to how he approaches the esteemed round. I just have to stay with the game-plan morning, but wearing shorts was awesome. Sunshine Tour. on the municipal water supply. • There are over 1 million plastic bottles sold layout following an impressive 68 on the and stay patient. It was probably my best Johann Rupert and the Sunshine Tour are always Fans and golfers are encouraged to purchase “We’re in such a beautiful environment here at around the world every minute. opening day. ball-striking ever around here – a very solid thinking of the players, but I was still really Alfred Dunhill Championship-branded glass Leopard Creek where sustainability is key, and • Plastic bottles can take over 400 years to “When I was out there, I remembered just about start.” pleasantly surprised with the ruling. It’s spot on bottles at the course, or bring their own by working with us we can provide solutions to degrade in nature. all the shots I played when I won and the course Even though he teed off early in the morning because it’s boiling out there. I had to buy some reusable bottles, which they can then refill free reduce single-use plastic at sports events like • Plastic waste has been found in the Mariana hasn’t changed so much from the tee. It just the heat was still very much a factor, and Grace shorts in the pro shop. But the younger of charge at several points on the golf course. this,” said Janneke Brasecke, Head of Mobile Trench, the deepest part of the ocean, and makes it easier for me to pick and commit to my was happy to take advantage of the professionals seemed a bit nervous to wear The various Aquifer Trailers provide purified, Solutions Africa. microplastics have been found on the shots, compared to someone who hasn’t played groundbreaking ruling to allow the players to shorts.” chilled drinking water to the golfers and “It’s easy and convenient for people to refill, Pyrenees Mountains in Europe and the here before.