History will be made on the DP World Tour this week as a 156-strong field prepares to battle it out for the inaugural MyGolfLife Open title at Pecanwood G & CC.
Situated on the banks of Hartbeespoort Dam, Pecanwood is the home to the first Jack Nicklaus designed course in South Africa and you can stay on top of the action across all four rounds with the bet365 Live Golf Tracker.
MyGolfLife Open
While much of the focus will be on the PGA Tour and The Players Championship this week, that doesn't mean there isn't a stellar field that will be teeing it up on the southernmost tip of the African continent.
South African Dean Burmester was tied-26th at the Magical Kenya Open last week, his first appearance since ending up second at the Dimension Data Pro-Am, and he is 16/1 to claim the spoils.
Austrian Bernd Wiesberger will be competing for the first time since missing the cut at the Ras al Khaimah Championship and he is 20/1 to lift the title, while big-hitting Spaniard Adri Arnaus is 20/1 to finally break his DP World Tour duck.
England's Richard Bland is the highest-ranked player in the field at 56th in the world and he can be backed at 40/1 to come out on top, while another South African in Daniel van Tonder, ranked 84th, is priced at 33/1 to triumph on home soil for the first time since the 2021 SA Open Championship.
MyGolfLife Open course details
Opened in 1998, this Jack Nicklaus-designed course offers generous fairways that are flat and wide, which should give an advantage to the bigger hitters.
While power could have a big say on the outcome of this tournament, approach play will also be key given the fact the greens are guarded by cleverly positioned bunkers and water hazards.
Measuring 7,697 yards, there are four par-fives, 10 par-fours and four par-threes for the field to negotiate. With warm conditions expected, a low score is expected to be required for success this week.
MyGolfLife Open previous course winners
Chris Swanepoel, who holds the course record with a 63 he hit in the 2007 Eskom Power Cup, is 2000/1 to pick up a sensational victory.
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Three to follow
JC Ritchie
One of several South African players in the field, world number 147 JC Ritchie arrives in scintillating form and he could put in a strong challenge at odds of 40/1.
The 28-year-old recorded back-to-back victories at the Cape Town Open and Workwear Open, triumphing by one and six strokes respectively, before ending up T14 at the Mangaung Open.
Ritchie thrives when playing in South Africa, having won eight times in his home country, and his power should put him in a strong position to add a ninth trophy to his collection.
On the DP World Tour this season, the 10-time Sunshine Tour winner is eighth in driving distance, averaging 342 yards, 13th in driving accuracy and second in strokes gained: off-the-tee.
Ritchie is also fourth in strokes gained: approach-the-green and second in strokes gained: tee-to-green, while he is 11th in scrambling and 15th in putts per green in regulation.
Adding more strength to his case, the South African is also first in strokes gained: total and birdies per round (5.50), while he ranks fourth in eagles per round.
Hennie Du Plessis
Sticking with the power theme and another home favourite that thrives in this category is Hennie Du Plessis, who has one top-10 finish from four starts this year and is 110/1 to win this week.
The South African is 11th in driving distance, averaging 340.25 yards, while he is sixth in strokes gained: approach-the-green and seventh in strokes gained: tee-to-green.
At 25 years of age, Du Plessis is a two-time winner on the Sunshine Tour, both of those victories coming on home soil, and he could be in the mix come Sunday.
Frederic Lacroix
Priced at 140/1, Frederic Lacroix is another that is no slouch off the tee, averaging 326.63 yards to sit 33rd in driving distance, and he has performed admirably in South African tournaments.
The Frenchman, who earned promotion to the DP World Tour after finishing fifth on the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings, was tied-fifth at the Joburg Open on his final outing in 2021.
Lacroix recorded three runner-up finishes on the Challenge Tour in 2021, so he has been in the mix on several occasions, and he could be ready to make his DP World Tour breakthrough.
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