Michael Scholz has already been a 40-year-old rookie on the Sunshine Tour, and now he shares the lead in the PGA of South Africa National Championship presented by Diners Club as a 47-year-old rookie PGA professional.
Scholz opened with a five-under-par 67 at Stellenbosch Golf Club on Tuesday to share a three-stroke first-round lead with fellow Gautengers Billy Meyburgh and Pieter Kruger.
The former touring professional only qualified as a PGA of South Africa member last year and is making his debut in the association’s premier tournament. And it’s also given him a new love for a game he walked away from for some time.
‘A few years ago I made a decision to qualify as a PGA professional and I’m really enjoying it. I only qualified last year, so I’m fresh to the PGA scene.’
Scholz dropped only one shot in a round of four birdies and an eagle.
‘It’s great to be playing again and be competitive,’ he said of his return to tournament golf.
‘I got to a point where I hated the game. It was one of those cases where you miss a couple of cuts and suddenly the game owes you. So I left golf and did the corporate thing for a while. But I realised I missed it too much. I’m a golfer and quite happy to be in any form of golf.”
Meyburgh started his round with a bogey and managed to work his way back to level par at the turn before really finding form with a back nine of five under.
‘I wasn’t hitting it that straight off the tee and I had to dig deep to keep it in play, but the putter was hot and I hardly missed anything within 10 feet,’ said the golfer, who made two trips to the Sunshine Tour’s qualifying school and missed out by a single shot each time.
Meyburgh’s best finish in the PGA National Championship has been sixth, and he’s doing his best not to feel the pressure of making his best start in this tournament.
‘I’m not going to put any pressure on myself. I didn’t come here playing particularly well, but just came here wanting to enjoy it.’
Kruger also came into this championship not expecting too much from his game, and was surprised to be sharing the lead after a round that started with back-to-back birdies.
‘I haven’t played for a while. I was injured, so I’m surprised to be leading. But I’ve wanted to win this for a few years now, and this is certainly the best start I’ve ever made in this event.’
But in their co-leader Scholz they both face a wily competitor who may be rookie in name, but certainly not in experience.
And with an eye on honing his game for the senior tour, Scholz is determined to enjoy his golf more than ever before.
‘You know, I’m less fussy about my game than I used to be. I just go out there and have fun.’
Scores from Tuesday’s first round of the PGA National Championship presented by Diners Club at the par-72 Stellenbosch Golf Club:
67 – Billy Meyburgh; Michael Scholz; Pieter Kruger
70 – Robert Wiederkehr; Michael du Toit; Pierre van Vuuren; Clinton Grobler
71 – Steve Cottingham; Dane Vosloo; Conrad du Plooy
72 – Henk Alberts; Stephan Spies; Johan Engelbrecht; William Guy; Kenneth Dube; Darrin Hedley
73 – Songs Sonamzi; Gregg Upton; Jurgen Heitz GER
74 – Rudy Mertz; Keagan Beyer; Andrew Mackie; Ryan Reid; Blanche Lamprecht; De Waal Botha; Michael Michell; Johan Smit; Stefan Visage; Robert Braithwaite; Renato Santo
75 – Alan Michell; Dean Nysschen; Neil Whitehorn; Altus Kapp; James Wade; Paul Simmons; Ben Fouchee; John Dickson; William Lake ZIM
76 – Cedric Brummer; Artur Pereira; Craig Stickling; Mathew Golder; Christiaan Jonck; Chris Clayton
77 – Morten Bredahl; Abrie Swanepoel; Wietz Botes; David Riddle; Paul McKenzie; Ian Eveleigh
78 – Jan Steenekamp; Philip du Preez; Francois Taljaard; Kevin Booysen
79 – Almar Creighton; Ryno Rudolph; Adriaan Vorster; Herman Vorster; TJ Biggs; Ian Kennedy; Morne Jurgens
80 – Jaco Vermeulen; Justin Rube; Paul Bradshaw
81 – Zander Potgieter BRN; Craig Lewthwaite
82 – Mark Wiltshire
83 – Alwyn Vorster
84 – Byron Nel
86 – JP Viviers
87 – Pieter Woest
89 – Richard Lee; Adrian Buchner
