AS the 153rd Open Championship begins at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland on Thursday, a quartet of South African golfers will be leading a strong contingent looking to stake a claim for the famed Claret Jug.
Top-ranked South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout (68th in the world), who is fresh off some strong performances on the PGA Tour, will spearhead the SA onslaught. He tees off at 2.37 pm (SA time). Former champion Louis Oosthuizen (7.46 am), alongside Stinger GC teammate Dean Burmester, and youngster Aldrich Potgieter (10.47am) will also carry the country’s hopes of another major victory.
Another dark horse in the race will be Thriston Lawrence (3.04 pm), who finished tied for fourth at last year’s competition at Royal Troon.
SA Open champion Dylan Naidoo (11.53am), Darryn Fichardt (11.53am), Bryan Newman (10.14am), Shaun Norris, Daniel van Tonder (8.19am), and Justin Walters (10.14am) are the other locals teeing off on Thursday.
Bezuidenhout this past weekend finished tied 13th at the Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, shooting 13-under-par. That will give him plenty of confidence as he heads into the British Open. The 31-year-old had a good run at the US Open last month and will look to build on these performances over the next couple of days.
All eyes will be on him from a local perspective.
Oosthuizen and Burmester had a recent dip in form on the LIV circuit, but they are known for producing quality rounds. The last time Oosthuizen made the cut at a Major was in 2023 at Royal Liverpool where he eventually finished tied in 24th place. He missed two of the last three cuts.
Burmester finished in the Top 20 in two of his most recent starts at The Open in 2022 and 2024. He will be keen to improve on the 11th place he secured at St Andrews three years ago. Despite experiencing a slump in form, Burmester has only missed the cut at the PGA Championship, the first Major of the season, so his form in the big tournaments should see him make the cut for the second year in a row.
At just 20, Potgieter is the fresh face of the SA challenge.
Recently completing a dramatic maiden PGA Tour win at the Rocket Classic — secured via an 18‑foot birdie on the fifth playoff hole — he surged to the victory and a place at The Open.
