Five South Africans have booked their place at the Masters 2018, WADE PRETORIUS looks at their form and track record at the year’s first Major.
Charl Schwartzel
How he qualified: Masters champion 2011, top 12 in the previous year’s Masters and top 50 in the world at the end of 2017
Best result: 1st (2011)
Next best: 3rd (2017)
Masters record: 1 win, 1 top 5, 6 of 8 cuts made
Current form: Schwartzel has struggled since finishing three shots behind Justin Rose and eventual winner Sergio Garcia last year at Augusta. His weekend run (68-68) ensured a handsome payday but only one top 10 has been achieved between that result and now.
Louis Oosthuizen
How he qualified: Top 4 at the PGA Championship and top 50 in the world
Best result: Runner-up (2012)
Next best: T15 (2016)
Masters record: 1 top 5, 5 of 9 cuts made
Current form: Oosthuizen’s Masters form isn’t as good as what one might expect. His gut-wrenching playoff loss to Bubba Watson was on the back of three missed cuts in his first three starts. He would miss the cut the following year, before four straight weekends without any real success. In the April issue of Compleat Golfer, he talks about Augusta at length and has the Green Jacket at the top of his golfing bucket list. This year’s been a mixed bag with two missed cuts in seven starts but he showed enough last week at the Dell Match Play to suggest something special might be brewing.
Branden Grace
How he qualified: Top 50 in the world
Best result: T18 (2013)
Next best: T27 (2017)
Masters record: 2 of 4 cuts made
Current form: Without a doubt, the form horse from the South African contingent, Grace enters The Masters on the back of a Nedbank Golf Challenge win, second at the SA Open and 15 consecutive weekends played on tours around the world. His record at Augusta doesn’t make for pleasant reading and will be determined to register a good result in 2018 – there’s little to doubt that will not happen if his current run is anything to go by.
Dylan Frittelli
How he qualified: Top 50 in the world
Best result: N/A
Next best: N/A
Masters record: On debut
Current form: Rookie appearance this year after grinding his way to The Masters. With two Major appearances already to his name, Frittelli continues to grow in confidence due to strong showings in some of the biggest events around the world. His debut will be more about fact-finding and getting some course experience but at the same time, Frittelli’s attitude has never been about making up the numbers.
Trevor Immelman
How he qualified: Masters champion 2008
Best result: 1st (2008)
Next best: 5 (2005)
Masters record: 1 win, 1 top 5, 9 of 15 cuts made
Current form: Immelman surprised the world in 2008 when he beat Tiger Woods by three to the Green Jacket. That win lifted him to 15th in the world but since then, he’s been plagued with injury and has subsequently dropped in the rankings abyss.
