Some of them first met when they were as young as nine. Others have played so much golf together they know each other’s games as well as their own. For the Sunshine Tour’s professionals, selecting the right partner for this week’s Bain’s Whisky Ubunye Championship is much like the ingredients coming together to create a fine whisky.
Ryan van Velzen and Yurav Premlall certainly had the right mix in Thursday’s first round of this team event at the Silver Lakes Golf and Wildlife Estate.
They opened with a better ball score of eight-under-par 63 to share the lead with the teams of Heinrich Bruiners and Keenan Davidse, Luke Brown and Fredrik From, and Jovan Rebula and Martin Vorster. Vorster went so far as to add a hole-in-one on the par-three ninth hole.
They are all one clear of the teams of Dylan Mostert and Dylan Naidoo, and Altin van der Merwe and Christian Kriek.
It was the perfect start for Van Velzen, who won this title last season playing with Luca Filippi. “Yurav and I have known each other for a long time and we played a lot together in our junior golf days, so it’s a natural pairing. We have a lot of fun on the course,” said Van Velzen.
Premlall remembers the first time he met Van Velzen, and unlike this week they were on opposite teams on that occasion. “I was playing for Central Gauteng the first time I met Ryan, and I think we gave them 6&5 in our match. I remember it quite well because it was him and Casey Jarvis that we beat. We’ve always been pretty good friends though.”
Thursday’s better ball format was certainly suited to the attacking styles of both of them.
“We play a naturally attacking brand of golf and aren’t shy about taking the golf course on. I think that attitude of just going for it on every hole gave us a chance,” said Premlall.
Bruiners and Davidse have known each other since they were teenagers competing on opposite provincial teams.
“I played for Southern Cape and he played for Boland in those days. We weren’t supposed to get along,” said Bruiners.
Davidse said he’s thoroughly enjoying partnering with a golfer he’s always looked up to. “When I was 12 he was 14 and he had his Springbok colours already. In those days it was Heinrich Bruiners and Branden Grace in the Southern Cape team beating everyone. Heinrich then turned professional before I did and the fact that he’s won twice on the Sunshine Tour and come back from a very serious injury is an inspiration. I have so much respect for him.”
Behind the leaders, Naidoo and Mostert can also trace their first meeting back to their junior golf days.
“We first met at age eight or nine. We used to play together as juniors on a Saturday at Modderfontein Golf Club. We’ve been good friends since then. We’ve travelled together. We went to Japan together. It’s actually crazy how many years we’ve had playing golf together,” said Naidoo.
“I wouldn’t say we finish each other’s sentences, but we’re good friends,” added Mostert.
Friday’s foursomes format will require a completely difference approach.
“I think the foursomes will be key this week. It’s all about just playing solid stats golf – just hitting fairways and greens to give yourself chances,” said Van Velzen.
Photo: Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour
