South African Open 2020: Form guide for this week's event in the city of Johannesburg

Andy Swales
06 January 2020

Randpark: A traditional parkland venue in north-west Johannesburg

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Check out the stats ahead of this week's South African Open at Randpark, with course and current form guides compiled by Andy Swales...

"Since mid-September, Shaun Norris has posted seven top-four finishes on the Japan Tour, including one victory, while Zander Lombard enjoyed back-to-back top-10s in co-sanctioned European Tour events on home soil."

The European Tour is off to Johannesburg for the opening event of the new decade.

For a second season in a row, the South African Open is being staged at Randpark Golf Club which is situated in the north-west suburbs of the country's most populated city.

Once again, this super-sized event with 240 competitors will be contested over the club's two courses - Bushwillow and Firethorn.

On Thursday and Friday, the golfers will play one round at each course, before the longer and tougher Firethorn layout becomes the sole focus for rounds three and four.

At 7,500 yards Firethorn is almost 400 yards longer than Bushwillow.

Randpark Golf Club, which opened its doors in 1940, is a lush, parkland venue with Kikuyu grass fairways, and putting surfaces sown with hard-wearing ostrich grass.

Strong Home Challenge

As to be expected, the South Africans are out in force for their own national open.

Only one of South Africa's top 25 ranked players is absent, with Dylan Frittelli preferring to contest back-to-back tournaments in Hawaii as a member of the PGA Tour.

Defending champion Louis Oosthuizen is the only member of the world's top 40 taking part.

Oosthuizen, who collected 2½ points from four matches at last month's Presidents Cup in Australia, closed 2019 in decent shape, as did a number of his compatriots.

Check out latest betting ahead of this week's South African Open

Since mid-September, Shaun Norris has posted seven top-four finishes on the Japan Tour, including one victory, while Zander Lombard enjoyed back-to-back top-10s in co-sanctioned European Tour events on home soil.

Belgium's Rising Star

Eddie Pepperell is the highest-ranked European in the field, although Belgian Thomas Detry might offer a better deal this weekend.

The world No 119 enjoyed some solid performances during autumn, including a podium finish in the prestigious Nedbank Challenge at Sun City.

Experience of South Africa's unique playing conditions is always valuable, which could help Andy Sullivan kick-start the winning habit.

The Englishman has not tasted victory since 2015, but he is a two-time winner in South Africa where both of his successes came in the province of Gauteng - home of this week's tournament.

However, Sullivan is probably more of an each-way contender, than a potential victor this Sunday. He ended 2019 with a tie-for-10th at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Twitter: Andy Swales@GolfStatsAlive

MC* - Missed Additional 54-Hole Cut

Note: Last season's event was staged in December 2018.

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Position

1–5
6–15
16–25

Player	W51	W50	W49	W48	W47	W46	W45	W44
Louis Oosthuizen			2		20	6		3
Erik Van Rooyen					28	30	2	38
Eddie Pepperell				19			Dq
Shaun Norris			4	2	Wd	2	3	25
Justin Harding			MC	7	36	48	25	53
Christiaan Bezuidenhout			21	MC	12	24	56	17
Thomas Detry	2		4		28	3	32
Francesco Laporta				MC			1
Branden Grace				3		39		MC
Andy Sullivan					10	61
Joachim B Hansen					36	17	10
Richard Sterne				14	20	60	50	70
Masahiro Kawamura				7	44	59	46	22
JC Ritchie			52	55
Antoine Rozner			2	36			40
Sebastian Heisele							2
George Coetzee			21	24		30	66	1
Zander Lombard			26	7		8	17	72
Rasmus Hojgaard			1	49			13
Brandon Stone			13	59
Robin Roussel			MC	14			42
Jaco Ahlers			33	24				25
Sam Horsfield							53
Charl Schwartzel				3
Gavin Green	35			2		21	50
Jack Senior	33		60	MC			4
Maverick Antcliff	44		21	3			6
Dean Burmester			MC	MC
Chris Paisley						44	62
Min Woo Lee	3		MC	3
Sean Crocker							25
Wil Besseling				3			11
Louis De Jager	41		4	MC
Ricardo Santos			65	MC			21
Joel Sjoholm			26	2			25
Thriston Lawrence			17	49				32
Richard Bland			60	42			15
Justin Walters			33	MC			67
Connor Syme			9	11			15
Oliver Farr			63	MC			6
Daniel Van Tonder			33	6				8
Ewen Ferguson							15
Callum Shinkwin
Rhys Enoch			38	MC			15
Jose-Filipe Lima				MC			11
Jeff Winther			MC	49
Johannes Veerman	10	MC	21	7
Bryce Easton	10		43	MC			6	43
Adilson Da Silva			MC	61
Steve Surry			MC	MC
Lars Van Meijel				24			25
Nino Bertasio							28
Jbe Kruger			30	53	49	36	42	60
David Law			43	59
Chris Wood
Robin Sciot-Siegrist			8	MC			2
Tapio Pulkkanen
Jean-Paul Strydom			38	MC				MC
Nicolai Hojgaard	MC
Sami Valimaki	64			MC
Darren Fichardt			60	MC
Ross McGowan	57						21
Daan Huizing							21
David Drysdale			MC	36			73
Dale Whitnell	64			MC			27
Neil Schietekat			38	MC				57
Niklas Lemke				69
Gregory Havret			54	49			27
Philip Eriksson			MC	MC
Jake Roos			MC	MC				5
Peter Karmis			MC	MC			29	35
Martin Rohwer			MC	61				3
Jamie Donaldson
Garrick Higgo			21	MC				14
Lee Slattery			43	64
Anton Karlsson
Michael G Palmer			MC	MC
Merrick Bremner			MC	MC
Ockie Strydom			38	MC				28
Bernd Ritthammer
Toto Thimba			MC	MC				MC
Benjamin Poke			MC	36			27
Jean Hugo			MC	MC				10
Lorenzo Scalise							41
Laurie Canter				14			27
Rikard Karlberg
Jaco Van Zyl			MC	14
Dave Coupland	MC
Clement Sordet	MC		MC	24
Hurly Long	MC
Daniel Greene				24
Matthew Baldwin							37
Gavin Moynihan
Haydn Porteous	20		26	55
Damien Perrier	19						13
Benjamin Follett-Smith			MC	MC				MC
Richard McEvoy			MC	MC
Jarryd Felton	MC		52	MC
Jonathan Caldwell				14
Ruan Conradie			MC	MC				32
James Morrison				55
Keith Horne		15	54	24			71
Stephen Ferreira				MC				MC
Adrien Saddier			MC	36
Oliver Bekker			9	71				MC
Alex Haindl			MC	22				MC
Hennie Du Plessis			MC	MC				10
MJ Viljoen				7				2
Anthony Michael			69	MC				MC
Trevor Fisher			43	MC
Hennie Otto			54	49				16
Julien Guerrier			9	MC
Jacques Kruyswijk
Martin Simonsen							37
Keenan Davidse			63	64				3
Jaco Prinsloo			MC	MC				MC
Clinton Grobler				MC				MC
Max Schmitt
James Allan
Jacques Blaauw				36
Ben Evans
Alejandro Canizares	33		MC	24
JJ Senekal			MC	MC				42
Ruan De Smidt				MC				MC
Garrick Porteous				11
Kyle Barker			MC	MC				32
Estiaan Conradie			72					MC
James Hart Du Preez			MC	MC				20
David Micheluzzi	MC		33	MC
Callum Mowat				MC				MC
Luke Jerling				MC				8
Pedro Figueiredo	54			42
Marcel Siem			25	MC
Madalitso Muthiya				MC
Pieter Moolman				MC
Christiaan Basson			65	19				MC
Daniel Gavins	MC
Jonathan Agren
Raphael Jacquelin			MC
Carlos Pigem			49	68			21
Andre De Decker			MC	MC				5
Vaughn Groenewald				MC
Lyle Rowe			MC	MC				MC
Brett Rumford	15		33	MC
Christopher Cannon
Gary Stal	MC
Daniel Young	MC
Matias Calderon			MC	MC
Robin Petersson	MC
Paul Boshoff								MC
Jordan Wrisdale
Deon Germishuys				MC				5
Riekus Nortje			MC	MC				36
Marc Warren
Harry Hall
Garth Mulroy			MC	MC				28
Toby Tree	MC			64
Juran Dreyer								MC
David Dixon
Fredrik From								10
Morten Orum Madsen
Rourke Van der Spuy			MC	MC
Jake Redman			MC	MC				20
Peetie Van Der Merwe
Titch Moore								MC
Craig Howie
Gregory Bourdy
Allister De Kock								MC
Ryan Cairns								MC
Chase Hanna	MC		14
Andre Nel								MC
Derick Petersen								MC
Jacques de Villiers				MC				MC
Andrew Van Der Knaap								MC
Yurav Premlall
Heinrich Bruiners				MC				Wd
Marcus Armitage	MC			42
Philip Geerts								MC
Aron Zemmer	MC
Stanislav Matus
Tyrone Ryan				MC
Doug McGuigan			69	MC				16
Thabi Ngcobo
Kyle McClatchie								28
Combrinck Smit				MC				16
Jacquin Hess				MC				MC
Wallie Coetsee								MC
Chris Swanepoel				MC				MC
CJ Du Plessis								25
Martin Vorster
Wilco Nienaber				24
Tom Gandy
Keelan Van Wyk				MC
Jesper Sandborg	MC
David Howell	MC		MC	Wd
Teaghan Gauche				MC				MC
Jovan Rebula
David McIntyre								MC
Duane Keun								36
Louis Albertse								MC
Marc Cayeux
Mark Williams				MC
Jean-Baptiste Gonnet
Anton Haig				MC				14
Ryan Tipping								32
Christo Lamprecht
Makhetha Mazibuko								MC
Dwayne Basson
Musiwalo Nethunzwi
James Kingston
Dylan Naidoo			MC	22				MC
Wynand Dingle								MC
Franklin Manchest								16
Jayden Trey Schaper				42
Casey Jarvis
Jordan Duminy
Stefan Wears Taylor								20
Conor Purcell

Player	2018	2017
Louis Oosthuizen	1
Erik Van Rooyen		2
Eddie Pepperell
Shaun Norris	54	3
Justin Harding	MC	MC
Christiaan Bezuidenhout	MC	30
Thomas Detry
Francesco Laporta
Branden Grace	7
Andy Sullivan
Joachim B Hansen	MC	6
Richard Sterne	MC
Masahiro Kawamura	MC	MC
JC Ritchie		27
Antoine Rozner
Sebastian Heisele		57
George Coetzee	MC	30
Zander Lombard	15	Dq
Rasmus Hojgaard
Brandon Stone	7
Robin Roussel
Jaco Ahlers	MC	19
Sam Horsfield		MC
Charl Schwartzel	3
Gavin Green		19
Jack Senior	MC
Maverick Antcliff
Dean Burmester	MC	19
Chris Paisley	24
Min Woo Lee
Sean Crocker	MC
Wil Besseling
Louis De Jager	MC	MC
Ricardo Santos
Joel Sjoholm
Thriston Lawrence	MC
Richard Bland
Justin Walters	MC	MC
Connor Syme	MC	MC
Oliver Farr	MC	49
Daniel Van Tonder	59	MC
Ewen Ferguson	29
Callum Shinkwin	33
Rhys Enoch	MC
Jose-Filipe Lima	MC	MC
Jeff Winther	7	27
Johannes Veerman		MC*
Bryce Easton	3	MC
Adilson Da Silva	29	MC
Steve Surry	MC	Dq
Lars Van Meijel
Nino Bertasio
Jbe Kruger	7	MC
David Law		MC
Chris Wood
Robin Sciot-Siegrist
Tapio Pulkkanen	15	3
Jean-Paul Strydom	MC	MC
Nicolai Hojgaard
Sami Valimaki
Darren Fichardt	MC	MC
Ross McGowan	MC	13
Daan Huizing
David Drysdale	Ret	MC
Dale Whitnell
Neil Schietekat	29	MC
Niklas Lemke	MC
Gregory Havret	MC
Philip Eriksson	MC
Jake Roos	37	MC
Peter Karmis		MC
Martin Rohwer		MC
Jamie Donaldson
Garrick Higgo
Lee Slattery
Anton Karlsson
Michael G Palmer	48	MC
Merrick Bremner	MC
Ockie Strydom	MC	30
Bernd Ritthammer	24
Toto Thimba	MC	MC
Benjamin Poke
Jean Hugo	MC	57
Lorenzo Scalise
Laurie Canter	24	MC
Rikard Karlberg
Jaco Van Zyl	37
Dave Coupland
Clement Sordet	MC
Hurly Long
Daniel Greene	37	8
Matthew Baldwin		19
Gavin Moynihan	MC	MC
Haydn Porteous	7	49
Damien Perrier
Benjamin Follett-Smith		MC
Richard McEvoy		30
Jarryd Felton
Jonathan Caldwell
Ruan Conradie	MC
James Morrison		6
Keith Horne	48	MC
Stephen Ferreira	MC	69
Adrien Saddier	MC	57
Oliver Bekker		13
Alex Haindl	37	MC
Hennie Du Plessis	MC	13
MJ Viljoen	MC	30
Anthony Michael	7	MC
Trevor Fisher	MC
Hennie Otto	33	13
Julien Guerrier
Jacques Kruyswijk	MC	49
Martin Simonsen
Keenan Davidse	MC	67
Jaco Prinsloo	MC	49
Clinton Grobler		MC
Max Schmitt	33
James Allan		MC
Jacques Blaauw	65	MC
Ben Evans	MC	MC
Alejandro Canizares	54
JJ Senekal	69	57
Ruan De Smidt	MC	MC
Garrick Porteous		72
Kyle Barker	MC
Estiaan Conradie
James Hart Du Preez
David Micheluzzi
Callum Mowat	64	MC
Luke Jerling	MC	MC
Pedro Figueiredo	48
Marcel Siem	MC
Madalitso Muthiya	7	MC
Pieter Moolman	MC
Christiaan Basson	MC	MC
Daniel Gavins	MC
Jonathan Agren	MC	MC
Raphael Jacquelin
Carlos Pigem	MC	72
Andre De Decker	MC	MC
Vaughn Groenewald	MC	19
Lyle Rowe	MC	Dq
Brett Rumford
Christopher Cannon	MC	49
Gary Stal		MC
Daniel Young
Matias Calderon	21	MC
Robin Petersson
Paul Boshoff
Jordan Wrisdale
Deon Germishuys	43
Riekus Nortje	MC	MC
Marc Warren	24
Harry Hall
Garth Mulroy	MC	MC
Toby Tree		MC*
Juran Dreyer
David Dixon
Fredrik From	MC
Morten Orum Madsen	MC
Rourke Van der Spuy	MC	61
Jake Redman	59	MC*
Peetie Van Der Merwe
Titch Moore	MC	MC
Craig Howie
Gregory Bourdy	43
Allister De Kock	MC
Ryan Cairns	MC	MC
Chase Hanna
Andre Nel	69	72
Derick Petersen	MC
Jacques de Villiers
Andrew Van Der Knaap		MC
Yurav Premlall	43
Heinrich Bruiners	MC	Dq
Marcus Armitage		5
Philip Geerts
Aron Zemmer
Stanislav Matus
Tyrone Ryan	MC	42
Doug McGuigan	MC	MC
Thabi Ngcobo
Kyle McClatchie		MC
Combrinck Smit		MC
Jacquin Hess		MC*
Wallie Coetsee	MC	MC
Chris Swanepoel		MC*
CJ Du Plessis	59
Martin Vorster
Wilco Nienaber	54
Tom Gandy
Keelan Van Wyk
Jesper Sandborg
David Howell		MC
Teaghan Gauche		MC
Jovan Rebula	24
David McIntyre	29
Duane Keun	65
Louis Albertse	MC
Marc Cayeux	MC	MC
Mark Williams	48	MC
Jean-Baptiste Gonnet
Anton Haig	65
Ryan Tipping		MC
Christo Lamprecht	MC
Makhetha Mazibuko	MC	MC
Dwayne Basson		MC
Musiwalo Nethunzwi	MC	MC
James Kingston
Dylan Naidoo		MC
Wynand Dingle	MC	MC
Franklin Manchest	MC
Jayden Trey Schaper
Casey Jarvis
Jordan Duminy
Stefan Wears Taylor
Conor Purcell