It’s known as “golf’s most beautiful week”, and for the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour professionals gathered for this week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at Mont Choisy Le Golf, there’s definitely a sense that this is one of the more relaxed and enjoyable weeks on Tour.
“This is definitely a top three week of the year,” says Nicolas Colsaerts. “You know when you come here that you’ll be looked after incredibly well, play in beautiful weather and get a sense of true Mauritian hospitality. You can sense a little bit more of a relaxed vibe, and it fits perfectly with the island.”
Oliver Bekker can feel it too.
“Everybody is so relaxed this week, even the players. This place just puts you in a good frame of mind. You don’t get as upset if you hit a bad shot. I think that helps with the golf.”
As relaxed as this week is, there is no less of an opportunity for the 156 golfers gathered on the north of the island.
This €1.5-million event, now into its eighth edition, will decide the winner of the DP World Tour’s Opening Swing, who will earn a $200,000 bonus as well as exemptions into several of the DP World Tour’s biggest tournaments in the second half of its season.
And at the same time it will offer the chance for the Sunshine Tour’s professionals to make further inroads on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy and the Fortress Rookie of the Year standings before the festive break.
The Mont Choisy Le Golf course is also primed for a strong welcome of this field since the last time the tournament was played here in 2022, when Frenchman Antoine Rozner claimed victory on 19 under par.
The course, designed by World Golf Awards Golf Course Designer of the Year 2024 Peter Matkovich, has been tightened up with narrower fairways and thicker rough. And the wind will add to the challenge.
“You need to control your ball flight around this golf course,” says Bekker, who finished seventh here in 2022. “It’s always windy, but it’s a consistent breeze. I don’t mind playing in the wind. It’s a scoreable golf course, and if you putt well you’ll always have a chance.”
“It’s a true test of golf,” adds Marcel Siem, who is a local favourite since relocating his family from Germany to Mauritius.
“The fairways are really good and the rough is up a bit more. It’s always a bit windier on this side of the island – I’d say about a two-club wind at least.”
But as competitive as it will be when Thursday’s first round tees off, there’s still that desire from the professionals to enjoy everything that this truly unique week in world golf offers.
“My wife Rachel will caddie for me this week so I’m looking forward to it,” says Colsaerts. “It’s a great opportunity for us to spend time together and for her to share my life inside the ropes a bit more. I just want to enjoy this week, and when that happens it translates into my performance on the golf course.”
Photo: Sunshine Tour
