Pacesetter Maas edges ahead in rain-hit SA Open

28 February 2025 – Christiaan Maas at two-under-par was the leading amateur after the first round of the Investec South African Open Championship was finally completed on Friday morning at a drenched Durban Country Club.

The 2023 Freddie Tait Cup winner made four birdies and two bogeys after a first round which stretched from mid-morning on Thursday until mid-morning on Friday thanks to the torrential rains in Durban had rendered the course all but unplayable.

Only a remarkable salvage effort by course staff as well as eThewkini council staff made play possible.

Maas only got his campaign for the leading amateur honours in the world’s second-oldest open championship underway at 15h30 on Thursday. He dropped a shot on the fifth, but birdies on eight and ninth holes saw him turn in one-under. Two more on 12 and 13 got him to three-under. Unfortunately, he gave another shot back to the field on the par-three 15th, and, by the time the round was finally completed, he was in a share of 51st place.

He was one clear of Jordan Burnand, who, at one-under-par, was in a share of 77th. “I got off to a bit of a shaky start on the first seven holes going three-over par, and then managed to find my way back to one-under-par in the end,” said Burnand.

“Overall, I’m fairly happy with the round and looking forward to the second round. It’s fantastic to play with the pros. That’s obviously the next step we’re heading to in the next couple of months, so to compare yourself to the pros is fantastic. You can only learn and and better yourself as a person.”

GolfRSA No. 1 Astin Arthur and African Amateur Championship winner Bryan Newman were the next-best of the amateurs in the field, both signing for one-over-par 73s.

Arthur had the chance to play with defending champion Dean Burmester, as well as Laurie Canter, who has been in hot form on the DP World Tour recently. “The boys, Laurie and Dean, were great to me, very hospitable,” he said. “I had a good time out there and learnt a lot. It was just a step in the right direction.

“My play was a bit iffy. I didn’t hit the ball great, but my short game was good. I’m happy to have it done and looking forward to some rest.”

Newman, who will be teeing it up in the Open Championship at Royal Portrush as a result of his victory at Leopard Creek, had two bogeys on the front nine, but fought his way back to one over with two birdies and a bogey on the back nine.

Sean Paxton, the only amateur who qualified for the tournament on Tuesday, carded a three-over 75 in his opening round. “I was going along nicely when I was one-over through 14 with just one birdie,” he said. “I played steady golf and then my caddie and I unfortunately got the wrong distance on the 15^th, the par-three, by about 14 metres. Flew the green so we were pretty dead. Made double on 16, but it was nice to end with a birdie on 18. I had lots of fun, I had a smile on my face the whole day. It was great having a lot of home support here for me.”

The final amateur in the field was South African Amateur champion Charl Barnard, fresh from his victory at Humewood in Gqeberha. He battled his way to a five-over-par 77. He made plenty of birdies, with six on his scorecard, but six bogeys cancelled those out, and a double-bogey six on the ninth and a triple-bogey seven on the 17^th damaged his scorecard.