Slade Pickering hopes his good form will carry him to his first win of the season when the second tournament of the Betway Big Easy Tour tees off at Modderfontein Golf Club on Tuesday.
Pickering tied second with Brandon Gildenhuys in the first event of the season in Benoni, and ninth in a Bushveld Tour event held at this week’s venue a few weeks after. He feels his game is headed in the right direction but refuses to get carried away ahead of this week’s tournament.
“I had a great start to the previous season as well but things went a little quiet towards the end of the season,” he recalled. “So, I know that I must keep grounded and work hard and that work continues this week.
“I did play a bushveld event here and did well. It was great to see what clubs I will use off the tee and know where to place my shots. I realised that you have to place your shots in good positions to get anything here but you also don’t want to be looking for too much when you’re around the greens. If I can do that, I will give myself decent opportunities and that’s all you need.”
Confident as Pickering is, he is fully aware of the immense pressure that comes with competing against the best players on Tour – many of whom are also Sunshine Tour members.
“It’s great that we always have guys from the Sunshine Tour competing here,” he said. “It shows you where you are and how you can improve yourself. Mainly, however, is that competing against guys like these prepares you for the kind of calibre you will need to compete against on the Sunshine Tour and prepares you for that.”
It’s still early in the new campaign but the Pecanwood Golf Estate player isn’t relaxed. He has set himself goals he feels that, if achieved, will catapult him to the pinnacle of South African golf; the Sunshine Tour.
“In the short-term, I just want to play myself into positions that will give me a chance at a win. I want to win something this season and I know it will not be easy. But the main goal is to secure my Sunshine Tour card for next season.”
Pickering, lying second on the Order of Merit after the first event of the season, will know that a good result this week will solidify his position among the top players.
Long as the season will be, Pickering knows that solid results in the first couple of events will set him up for a strong finish and possibly see him earn his Sunshine Tour playing privileges.
Photo: Troy Winfield/Sunshine Tour
