Teams for prestigious 2023 Africa events announced

7 March 2023 – Two new caps are among the eight top South African talents selected to fly the flag for the country in South Africa’s title defence at two prestigious African team events coming up in April and May.

Last year, SA captain Christiaan Burke, Casey Jarvis, Jono Broomhead and Jordan Duminy swept to a record 25th victory in the Region 5 Golf Tournament held in Angola.

The baton has been passed to Dan Bennett from Gauteng North, Simon du Plooy from Central Gauteng, and new caps Altin van der Merwe from Western Province and Ekurhuleni’s Jordan Burnand to keep South Africa’s excellent record alive in Malawi this year.

“We are delighted to award Altin and Jordan their national colours,” said South African Golf Association President Henk Smith.

“All four players enjoyed a strong run on GolfRSA’s South African Swing in February and in the events leading up to our three flagship events. Altin and Jordan are very deserving of this opportunity to represent South Africa and together with Dan and Simon, who both represented South Africa abroad last year, we are confident that this quartet is up to the task of making South Africa proud.

“In recent years, the Africa Region 5 Golf Tournament has grown in stature and every year, the standard of this prestigious event improves. We relish this wonderful opportunity for our team to test themselves against the very best golfers in Africa at the Lilongwe Golf Course in Lilongwe from 16-20 May.”

The team will be accompanied by Junior Vice President Peet van Schalkwyk.

The GolfRSA Junior Team who represented the country in the Team Competition at the African Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Leopard Creek in February – Keagan Crosbie from Gauteng North, Western Province’s Jack Buchanan and Central Gauteng pair Amilkar Bhana and Jaden Deltel – will once again team up in April to contest the All Africa Junior Team Championship in Uganda.

“We are really excited to send this young team to Uganda,” said GolfRSA CEO Grant Hepburn. “The All Africa Junior Team Championship has grown into a world-class event on the African golfing calendar.

“The winning boys team and the runners-up, together with the winning girls team, from this African Qualifier, qualify for the prestigious Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan in June, where they will compete against the cream of global junior golf.

“This makes the All Africa Junior Team Championship a very attractive one for all the African countries, and subsequently attracts a very strong field from across the continent. We are delighted to present these talented juniors the chance to test themselves in a such a world-class championship. They have acquitted themselves very well over the last 12 months and have earned the honour of representing South Africa. We wish them well in their campaign in Uganda.”

Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa in Uganda will host this year’s All Africa Junior Team Championship from 15-21 April. The team will be accompanied by Southern Cape Golf Union Director of Golf Heinrich Lourens, who managed last year’s victorious Region 5 team, sports psychologist Theo Bezuidenhout, who works with the GolfRSA National Men’s Squad.