Vodacom Origins of Golf Parys - The Lowdown

The fifth of six Vodacom Origins of Golf events is happening at Parys Golf and Country Estate from Thursday to Saturday this week.  Andrew Curlewis registered his third win on the Sunshine Tour there as he defeated Lyle Rowe in a play-off after they finished tied at seven-under-par 209 in September 2013 when the tour first visited the course. Curlewis is also in the field this week. 

The format:

54 holes of stroke play. After 36 holes there will be a cut to the leading 40 professionals and ties.

The field:

132 professionals

Defending champion

Curlewis overcame Rowe there in 2013.

The course:

This championship golf course was designed by the Cobie Legrange team and DDV Design, offering a challenge with each hole. It plays at 6,860 metres off the championship tees.

Having originally been opened in 1876, the Parys Golf Club is infused with plenty of history and heritage, lending it a tangible charm. However, it was revamped in 2007, and so couples this historical elegance with modern facilities and championship golfing on its brand-new course.

The course is designed in such a way that each of the holes presents a welcome challenge to avid golfers. It is situated on the Vaal River, promising spectacular views along the way.

Form player:

With two wins at Sun City Challenge and Vodacom Origins of Golf Arabella already under his belt this season alone and two runner-ups in his last three events – Vodacom Origins of Golf Selborne and Vodacom Origins of Golf St Francis – Neil Schietekat is definitely in undisputed form. In fact, Schietekat has done well in all four events of the Vodacom Origins of Golf series that have been played this season. He also finished eighth at Zebula at seven-under-par 209. In a golden season, after two straight missed cuts in the first two tournaments of 2018-19, he turned things around at the Mopani Redpath Zambia Open where he finished seventh on nine-under 279 and never looked back, except for a missed cut at the Royal Swazi Spa Challenge.

Sentimental pick:

PH McIntyre got his first Sunshine Tour victory in the Vodacom Origins of Golf event in the Free State in 2014 when the tournament was held at Vaal de Grace on the other side of Parys. It was an emotional victory for the Heidelberg Golf Club player, with family and friends having made the trip from Heidelberg to see him lift the trophy. He’s not played much this season, with a missed cut in the Invested Royal Swazi Open the only tournament on his resume so far. Wouldn’t it be something if he was able to repeat his 2014 heroics so close to home?

The bolter:

CJ du Plessis enjoyed three top-20 finishes in his last three events, of which one was the share of seventh on seven-under-par 209 at the Vodacom Origins of Golf St Francis. The good results came after three missed cuts, failing to qualify once, a share of 25th at the Investec Royal Swazi Open and the share of 27th at Sun Carnival City Challenge. He also finished third at the Big Easy Challenge 2 in May and eighth on the Big Easy Challenge 10 last month. The Irene Country Club player, who is yet to register his first win on tour, was a runner-up three times in 2016 and that shows he is capable of pulling off a win.

Credit: The Sunshine Tour

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