Shaun Norris -14
Jacques Kruyswijk -10
Adrien Saddier -10
Nicolai Von Dellingshausen -9
Jacob Skov Olesen -8
Robin Williams -8
Jaco Ahlers -8
Kieran Vincent -8
Daniel Van Tonder -8
Ugo Coussaud -8
Daniel Brown -8
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The European Tour stays in South Africa but moves to Johannesburg for the Joburg Open, which moved to Houghton Golf Club in November 2022.
Houghton Golf Club was established back in 1926 and considered one of the best parkland courses in the Johannesburg area. The South African Open has been held here eight times between 1951 and 1992 and it has also hosted the Alfred Dunhill Tournament between 1996 and 2004.
Houghton sold the property and the Jack Nicklaus design group were commissioned to modernise the course and its facilities. The design is now a completely new golfing experience for those who have played the original layout – notwithstanding one or two holes that have been altered on the old course, everything else has undergone a complete transformation.
The course re-opened for play in 2009 and now weighs in at 7,279 yards from the back tees, playing to a par of 72, with holes laid out as two returning nines. The course is now not as spacious as it used to be, but they have made up for the lack of space and sometimes distance in the most part by heavily guarding the greens and fairways with deep soft bunkers, thick rough and selective undulations.
The parkland layout is dotted with ponds and dams and is situated adjacent to the greenbelt of The Wilds. The site is a perfect extension to Johannesburg’s natural fauna and flora and is a proclaimed bird sanctuary with Egyptian geese, guinea fowl, dikkops, plovers and a variety of waterfowl in being present.
Three Top 16 finishes in his last three starts shows Jayden Schaper 22/1 – with BetFred – is coming into this week in great form. In fact two of those finishes were in the Top 5. In the two years the event has been played at the Houghton GC, Jayden has two Top 20 finishes, including a Top 10 the last time the event was held when he opening up with a 66
We did tip Jacques Kruyswijk 35/1 – with Bet365 – to win the Magical Kenya Open at 80/1, unfortunately the odds are not as generous this week. Jacques has two Top 25 finishes in this event over this course, including a fourth-place finish the last time the event was played. And I expect him to be challenging again this week
Seven starts for Dan Bradbury 40/1 – with UniBet – on the European Tour this season and he has four missed cuts. But, being a past champion of this event on this course and then defending his title with a third-place finish, makes me think the Houghton GC course brings out the best in his golf game
Each-way tips:
Regular visitors to this guide will know I have been waiting for Brandon Robinson Thompson 50/1 – with UniBet – to land his first European Tour win after winning on the Challenge Tour. Brandon has two Top 10 finishes in his last three starts and I expect to see him back challenging this week
Outside tip:
Winning the Amateur Championship gave Jacob Skov Olesen 80/1 – with Bet365 – a chance to play in the Asian Tours International Series and he is now teeing it up on the European Tour and has two Top 15 finishes, including a Top 10 from his six starts. His latest being a thirteenth place at the Kenya Open when he opened up with a 65
A past champion of this event and a runner-up the last time the event was played is Darren Fichardt 100/1 – with PaddyPower – who comes into this event on the back of a fourth-place finish at the SA Open, where he opened up with a 66. I expect Darren to be back in the thick of it again this week
