Investec South African Open 2025: Course and current form stats

• A short, tight course laid out close to Indian Ocean

• LIV's Burmester [9/1] chases fifth DP World Tour title

• Schaper [30/1] can make career breakthrough

Tournament and Course Notes

Ahead of hosting South Africa's national open for the 18th time, Durban Country Club underwent significant restoration. This renovation, which took place between May and December 2023, was much-needed after the course had suffered from severe flooding the previous year.

A number of holes were completely redesigned. Most of the greens were re-built, new tees were constructed and 43 new bunkers added. As most of the course is below sea level, those fairways that are most susceptible to flooding were raised.

Opened just over 100 years ago, Durban Country Club is a coastal venue laid out close to the Indian Ocean.

With its tight, tree-lined fairways, the revamped layout will certainly test the course management skills of this year's competitors. At 6,780 yards, this week's layout will be one of the shortest courses used on the DP World Tour in 2025.

The only occasion during the last eight years, in which Durban Country Club has staged an event on the Sunshine Tour, was in February 2022 when it hosted the Jonsson Workwear Open. This event was co-sanctioned with the Challenge Tour and played over two courses, with Durban hosting the final two rounds.

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Six To Watch

The 38-year-old John Parry 25/126.00 is enjoying the best form of his career right now and in Kenya on Sunday finished runner-up in the country's national open.

This time last year he was outside the world's top 500 but is now a career-high No 91 in the list.

Since then he's won three times on the Challenge Tour, plus once on the DP World Tour, which was a victory in Mauritius just before Christmas.

He's also one of the few golfers teeing-up this week who have played competitively at Durban Country Club, having tied-18th here three years ago in a co-sanctioned event on the Sunshine and Challenge Tours.

Four South Africans to check out are Dean Burmester 9/110.00, Daniel Van Tonder 35/136.00, Shaun Norris 33/134.00 and Jayden Trey Schaper 30/131.00.

Burmester is a member of the LIV Tour and earlier this month posted finishes of T4 and T12.

He is a four-time winner on the DP World Tour, with three of these successes arriving on South African soil.

As for Van Tonder, he has made a sparkling start to 2025, with five top-10 finishes from as many events. Two of these ended in victory at tournaments co-sanctioned by the Sunshine and Challenge Tours.

The experienced Norris can never be ignored in run-of-the-mill tournaments staged in South Africa. He's performed well throughout much of autumn and into the new year, while collecting victories in Japan and his home country.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Schaper continues his steady journey up the golfing ladder.

He was fourth in Kenya at the weekend and the only thing missing from his CV so far is a Tour win.

He's played competitively at Durban before and is certainly capable of another each-way finish this week, as well as an outright victory.

Finally, another pro rising up the charts is Englishman Sam Bairstow 35/136.00.

On his most recent outing in Qatar earlier this month he tied-10th and, in a field which boasts just three top-100 ranked players, his chances of claiming a maiden title at this level must be reasonably high.

The 26-year-old is a two-time podium performer on the DP World Tour.

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World Ranking Points

Most Points Since November 1st, 2024 (Top Eight Listed)
Pts
44.75: Laurie Canter
41.69: Shaun Norris
30.08: Daniel Van Tonder
34.84: John Parry
26.64: Johannes Veerman
23.73: Alejandro Del Rey
23.65: Hao Tong Li
19.39: Jacques Kruyswijk
Only those entered this week are included in table

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