Former champion Brandon Stone is more than ready to go at the Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg when the 2020 SA Open gets under way on Thursday.
Stone, who claimed a two-stroke victory in 2016, says he is relishing the opportunity to come out on top again and excited about competing with the strong field.
‘It’s nice to come back as a previous winner. There is a very strong contingent of South African players here this week, who will be vying for that title but I am happy to be back here,’ said Stone, who’s been paired with Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard and Sunshine Tour Order of Merit leader Danie van Tonder for Thursday.
Stone had a relatively quiet 2019 on the European Tour but there were promising signs in the early rounds of AfraAsia Bank Mauritius Open in December last year, where he finished tied 13th.
And the 26-year-old admits that his game is feeling strong at the moment and says he has been working quite hard over the festive break to be ready for a busy year ahead.
‘The game feels great. I didn’t really take December off, kind of stayed in Centurion and played a lot of courses around Gauteng, caught up with a few mates.’
But Stone isn’t getting ahead of his confidence with a strong host of local players set to battle it out for South Africa’s biggest golf prize.
‘I know there are many South African players who are not really keen to see that trophy leave our shores, so I’m very confident in the boys’ abilities and my own ability,’ said Stone.
The field includes names such as Louis Oosthuizen, who will be defending his crown, Justin Harding, Erik van Rooyen and Christiaan Bezuidenhout – all players who became first-time winners on the European Tour last year. Hojgaard, 2014 Ryder Cup winner Jamie Donaldson, and 2015 SA Open Champion Andy Sullivan are a few of the international players who could pose a threat for the title.
