Christiaan Burke took the confidence of several weeks of good golf and turned it into the first-round lead in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at Pezula Golf Estate on Thursday. MICHAEL VLISMAS reports.
On a Pezula course that is in immaculate condition, Burke signed for a nine-under-par 63 to lead by one over Keenan Davidse, CJ du Plessis and Alexander Knappe.
Teeing off the 1st, Burke turned in four under before his first and only bogey of the day on the 10th. But he responded with a strong back nine of six birdies in his next eight holes.
“The course is in great condition,” said Burke. “The greens are really good. I hit fairways and greens today, but my putting in particular has been really good the last few weeks. So I know if I can give myself chances I can make putts.”
Burke has been on a solid run of form on the Sunshine Tour.
In his last five tournament he’s finished no worse than 18th, and he had a runner-up finish in last week’s Stella Artois Players Championship.
“I’ve been playing well the last few weeks,” he said. “My coach and I have been working hard on my swing and it’s paying off now. It’s just about confidence at the moment. I’m playing off a lot of confidence and the game is feeling good. I can’t wait for the rest of the week.”
Jean Hugo is well placed just three shots off the lead, and as the undisputed master of the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series.
Hugo is a 12-time winner on a series that since its inception in 2004 has defined the careers of many Sunshine Tour professionals.
And as much as it’s been a critical element in South African professional golf, the pro-am element of the series has been equally important as decades of amateurs have been able to enjoy an inside-the-ropes look into the Sunshine Tour.
This year’s series again featured a strong amateur competition, and KwaZulu-Natal businessman Neelesh Sitlu triumphed in the final and was crowned the overall 2025 Vodacom Origins of Golf Series champion.
“I’m still in shock,” said the Mount Edgecombe resident. “It’s an amazing series. The networking is great and the people are wonderful. As amateurs it really gives us a look into what the professionals go through. It as close as we can ever come to experiencing that, and this is one of the premier events in the country that allows us to feel this.”
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Photo: Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour
Article Link: Burke starts strong at Pezula