Impressive South Africa amateur Jayden Schaper is ready to compete with some of the world’s best at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Schaper is joined in the field by fellow amateur star Joshua Hill at the Emirates Golf Club after making their first strides on the European Tour this season.
The South African made a big impression by finishing in a tie for sixth at the South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg in January – just his second event on the European Tour.
The 19-year-old posted four under-par rounds at Randpark Golf Club to finish 13 under par and believes that performance can give him the confidence to contend this week.
‘Getting a top 10 in the South African Open is a pretty nice achievement. To give myself an opportunity over the weekend to get the win is pretty cool,’ Schaper said.
‘To come off that great experience playing an event like that, I’ll approach this week the same. There shouldn’t be too much difference between tournaments.
‘Basically, everyone wants to come out and go for the win. Obviously that’s what you want to do. But, I mean, I’m just going to take it one step at a time, one shot at a time and one hole at a time and I’m just going to take it as it comes.
‘I will just try and enjoy the experience overall. Yesterday was my first day here. Just went out and played the front nine to get a look and a feel of what the course has to offer and, yeah, I think it suits my game pretty well.’
