George Coetzee and Oliver Bekker were honoured for their performances at the 2017-18 Sunshine Tour awards on Sunday night.
Coetzee walked away with the Order of Merit title thanks almost solely to his triumph at the Tshwane Open. The victory over the co-sanctioned field at Pretoria Country Club earned Coetzee R2,377,500 of the R2,937,225 he made this season; that cheque alone would’ve been enough to finish in first for the season.
Coetzee, who played in just six events (the minimum to be considered for the award), this year four of which were co-sanctioned – was one of three players to break through the R2-million barrier with fellow European Tour member Erik van Rooyen second with R2,359,846 (from six events) and JC Ritchie third with R2,033,965 earned through 24 events.
Long-time Order of Merit leader Oliver Bekker was honoured with a number of prizes. The 33-year-old surrendered his money list advantage after Dylan Frittelli won the AfrAsia Mauritius Bank Open but did enough to win the respect of golf writers, his fellow players and the Tour’s commissioner Selwyn Nathan.
Bekker earned R1,562,988 this year (fourth on the Order of Merit) and won three times (Zambia Sugar Open; Lombard Insurance Classic; Sun Wild Coast Sun Challenge) and left on Sunday with the Golf Writers Award and the Commissioner’s Award as well as being named as the Player’s Player to cap a successful year.
Despite withdrawing from the Tour Championship through injury Ireland’s Neil O’Briain claimed the Rookie of the Year ahead of American Zack Byrd.
Sunshine Tour Awards
George Coetzee: Sid Brews Trophy (Sunshine Tour Order of Merit)
Oliver Bekker: Gary Player Trophy (Stroke Average winner)
Neil O’Briain: Bobby Locke Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
Oliver Bekker: Commissioner’s Award
Oliver Bekker: Players’ Player of the Year
Oliver Bekker: Media Player of the Year
Kyle McClatchie: Newcomer of the Year
Gary Player Class Award: Keenan Davidse
Oliver Bekker: Par-fives
Peter Karmis: Par-fours
Louis de Jager: Par-threes
Sunshine Ladies Tour
Stacy Bregman: Order of Merit
Sunshine Big Easy Tour
Jacquin Hess: Order of Merit
Jacquin Hess: Malcolm Dreyer Stroke Average Award
Golf RSA awards:
| Junior amateur of the year | Jayden Schaper |
| Mid-amateur of the year | Derek Scullard |
| Senior – amateur of the year | Steve Williams |
| Ladies Order of Merit winner | Kajal Mistry |
| Ladies Outstanding achievement award | Danielle du Toit |
| Open Amateur of the year | Kyle McClatchie |
| Outstanding Achievement of the year | Kyle McClatchie |
Photo: Luke Walker/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images
