INSIDE THE ROPES

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APPROVAL

This two-time SA Open champion has high hopes for the future of the game after the 2026 event proved a resounding success 

Christiaan Maas’ all-encompassing love for the game is also to the benefit of those who have the privilege of watching him
play  

BY BELINDA ANDREWS 

Nothing compares to witnessing the arrival of a new star, and few have shone brighter or made such a swift impact as 22-year-old Casey Jarvis, who won the Investec SA Open Championship at a sold-out Stellenbosch Golf Club.


Jarvis' journey came full circle, from volunteering at Glendower Golf Club in 2017 when he watched his idol Rory McIlroy at the SA Open, to standing as the 2026 national champion with the world at his feet.


Winning at Stellenbosch saw Jarvis earn his spot in two of golf's four Majors – the Masters at Augusta National and the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.


After 27 years, the SA Open made a successful return to Stellenbosch Golf Club, where David Frost won and also learned the game while growing up and working in his family's vineyard.


Frost's victory at the 1999 SA Open – his second national title after his 1986 triumph at Royal Johannesburg – remains deeply cherished and he recalls it 'like it was yesterday'.


The now 66-year-old winner of 29 professional titles hosted a hospitality suite on the 17th hole and watched with pride as thousands of spectators clamoured the fairways to see Jarvis and others.


'They all put South Africa on a pedestal that week. It was fantastic. I got a lot of feedback from Americans on how pretty the presentation was, the golf course, the surroundings, the mountain, the vineyards,' said Frost, who won 10 PGA Tour titles and is now a six-time victor on the PGA Champions Tour.

'I decided to put my head to the ground and focus on my game. I felt that if I could win the tournament, it would be more of a payback or thanks to the people who came to follow me'

FROST'S FINEST

10 wins on the PGA Tour

6 wins on the PGA Tour Champions

5 wins on the Sunshine Tour

3 wins at the Nedbank Golf Challenge

2 wins on the European Tour (1984 Cannes Open, 1999 SA Open)

2 wins on the European Senior Tour

1 Senior Major (2013 Regions Tradition)

1 win on the Asian Tour

1 win on the Japan Tour

Best finish at a Major:
​​​​​​​T5th in 1995 Masters

'What I like to not see is when someone stumbles and loses on the last hole or two and causes some disaster, which is what happened in my case when I won. It was nice to see (Jarvis) finish it off strongly, hit that great second shot into 18 and have two putts to win. It's kind of a nice crowd pleaser when that happens.'


In 1999, Frost's win was under different circumstances as he made up four shots on the overnight leader, Sven Struver of Germany, to win at the last. Frost shot a three-under 68 in the final round and ended on a total of five-under par to claim a one-stroke victory over American Scott Dunlap and India's Jeev Milkha Singh.


Frost also benefitted from some late luck, when co-leader Struver found the water surrounding the 18th green.

'It was very unfortunate that he hit it into a divot on the 18th hole, and then tried to find the green from out of the divot, instead of maybe laying it up," said Frost.


'Sometimes it helps to put a score on the board and put the pressure on the player that still has to finish. I remember getting the ball up and down out of the bunker from the back right of the green on 18, so I did make a little pressure putt for par on 18.'

But Frost realised the importance of playing a 'home' Open. 'Having the opportunity to play at Stellenbosch, I went with the attitude that week that I knew there were going to be a lot of people around who would want a piece of me, and want to greet me,' he explained. 'I decided to put my head to the ground and focus on my game. I felt that if I could win the tournament, it would be more of a payback or thanks to the people who came to follow me.


'I might have been a bit selfish in that way, but I thought it would be more important for me to win the tournament at home than to be able to smile at everybody who was there.'


Since Frost's win, Stellenbosch Golf Club has undergone significant restructuring, with Jarvis and a strong local contingent struggling to tame the tricky par-70 layout.


'I think the course lived up to its challenges, because nobody went crazy and shot 60 or 62, but it was close to what I predicted and the greens didn't dry out as much and that would've brought the scores down a little,' said Frost.


'We couldn't have really wished for much better which is good for the possibility of bringing it back sooner rather than later and not waiting so long until the next Open (at Stellenbosch).


'I was on the first tee on Thursday afternoon when Ernie (Els) and Dylan (Naidoo) teed off and I was standing next to (Sunshine Tour) Commissioner Thomas Abt. He said: "Gee, I can't believe this. Look at all these people on Thursday afternoon."

'Cape Town is famous for our big crowds. The Cape Town Stadium fills up for rugby, Newlands fills up for cricket and it just proved once again that we can stage events in Cape Town. Everything just turned out beautifully for the week and the little storm late on Sunday didn't affect the day.'


Frost believes that South Africa's golfing future is set as more young stars have put their name in the reckoning.

'Casey, I feel, is on a hot streak so should be very confident and not go into the tournament thinking, "Oh, let me just kind of feel my way in",' said Frost. 'He's on top form, so I would set my expectations really high if I were him.


'We have enough guys that are close to getting to the top of the world rankings and that's kind of where you need to be to stay in contention week in and week out. Aldrich Potgieter, Jayden (Schaper) and Casey could definitely fly the flag for us at the next Majors.'

LUKE WALKER | PAUL SEVERN | SUNSHINE TOUR | GETTY IMAGES