Joburg Open

January 15th, 2010

The final tournament of the European Tour’s South African swing brings us to Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club for the Joburg Open. The event is one of only three tournaments on the European Tour schedule which uses more than one course for the week’s play, with both the East and West course at Royal Joburg and Kensington being used for 36-holes a piece. Both courses offer up their fair share of challenges with a mixture of tree-lined and exposed holes. There is also plenty of H20 to be found thanks to a 2.5km stream that meanders through the complex and the eleven separate ponds that come into play across the two courses.

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As with all the South African based events the Joburg Open provides an opportunity for a number of local players including a healthy contingent of South African Titleist Ambassadors. One such player is Bloemfontein native Jbe’ Kruger. Jbe’ has played every event in the 2010 South African swing and, following a missed cut back at the season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship, has really hit his stride. A third place finish at last weeks Africa Open has Jbe’ in confident mood and this has so far reflected in his play this week in Joburg. At the time of writing Jbe’ is off to another strong start after opening rounds of 63 and 69 and will have high hopes of contending for the title over the weekend.

Another South African Titleist Ambassador who is off to a solid start in Joburg is Neil Schietekat. A blistering opening round of 62 (-9) was followed by a 72 (+1) and sees Neil inside the top-ten on the leaderboard going into the weekend. Neil was another player to finish well at last week’s Africa Open recording a top-25 finish but came to see the Titleist Tour Team this week to discuss his fairway metal. There was no doubt that Neil could flat-out crush his current fairway metal from the tee (in fact, most people would be happy hitting their driver like he hits that fairway!!) but he felt that it was not performing well from the fairway, leaving him at a disadvantage when trying to reach long par 5’s. Neil really needed a higher launching, higher spinning fairway option which would give him the ability to get the ball up from the fairway. After working with Titleist Tour Technician Mattias Jelver for just a short time Neil found a specification that was to his liking and went away a happy man!!

Neil Schietekat

Model: 909F2
Loft: 13.5°
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana White Board 73 X-Flex
Length: 43”
Grip: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Black/Red (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D3

Titleist Ambassador Paul Waring is in the field this week for his first tournament of 2010. Following an injury hit campaign in 2009 which saw him secure his card by the narrowest of margins by finishing exactly 115th in the Race to Dubai, Paul is looking forward to a new European Tour season and goes into his opening event with renewed optimism and some new Titleist equipment to boot. Paul has recently made the switch from his Titleist 735.CM irons to a set of the new Titleist CB and speaking to Mattias Jelver in Joburg this week was feeling very happy with their performance. In addition, Paul has also dropped his faithful 907D4 prototype driver in favour of the 909D3. Unfortunately a solid opening round of 69 (-2) was undone with a poor start to the second round and, in spite of a solid closing nine holes, Paul will sit it out this weekend. However, if Paul can stay clear of injury in 2010 we would strongly fancy him to contend for a title this season and post a strong finish in the Race to Dubai.

Paul Waring

Model: Titleist CB
Composition: 3-PW
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100
Length: +1/4″ (#6 iron @ 37.75″)
Lie: Std (#6 iron @ 62.5°
Grips: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Black/Red (+1/32”)
Swingweights: D4

Model: 909D3
Loft: 8.5°
Shaft: Grafalloy Blue X-Flex
Length: 45″
Grip: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Black/Blue (+1/32″)
Swingweight: D5.5

A trip to the Middle East now beckons as the players, and the Titleist Tour Team, head out to the United Arab Emirates for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Some of the European Tour’s biggest names will be in the field including Europe’s reigning #1, and Titleist ball Loyalist, Lee Westwood and Titleist Ambassadors Geoff Ogilvy and Robert Karlsson. The event marks the start of a three tournament stretch which also takes in the sights and sounds of Doha and Dubai along the way. The players will undoubtedly be looking forward to soaking up some sunshine in the Middle East and the perfect playing conditions promise to offer up some spectacular golf along the way.

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